A Run of the Mill Mission
by Acidgreenflames
Summary: What was supposed to be a simple training mission lands Starscream back in Megatron's hands, and the tyrant is furious for his betrayal. With his small charge Mia, whose life he saved, Starscream must try to survive Megatron's wrath. However, everything on Nemesis is not what it seems and the longer they are trapped the more secrets the dark ship spills. Third in the Series
1. Lets Go Camping

**Important Information**

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** ' bonded speech

' _Blah_ ' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Thank you so much to Darkness_Rising for doing the first round of beta work on chapter 1!

Please be aware that I am only posting a FEW CHAPTERS on fan fiction. The last chapters will be too mature to post here on fan fiction but can be found on Archive of our Own. Please head the **FOLLOWING TAGS: The later chapters will contain elements of rape and dub con/ torture.**

NEW NOTE: Thank you everyone for letting me know the chapter had not loaded properly. It has now been fixed.

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Excitement rushed through Mia's veins as she accepted the socks that Danny handed her with a smirk, and shoving them into her ruck sack Mia positively _beamed_ at her sister.

"I can't wait!" If it was possible her voice inched even higher in her excitement. "It's gonna be like camping, but better than camping."

"It's not camping." Callie informed her, again, with an exasperated sigh as she made her way to the front of the _Ark_ , dipping carefully between large, moving pedes.

"It's kind of like camping." Danny shrugged, following Callie through the throng of mechs and soldiers, Mia practically bouncing behind her. "I mean, you are going to be sleeping on the ground, outside, and you'll have to cook your food over an open fire. Just add marshmallows and its camping."

As the trio came to the mouth of the cashed space ship, Callie gave her cousins a flat look. "It's a training mission, not camping."

"But," Mia interjected before Danny could say anything. "We get to sleep outside. If that's not camping then what is?"

The blonde opened her mouth to speak before Mia continued. "I mean, I know we have to run training drills and set up satellite points and….stuff around Decepticon territory. But in the end we still get to camp! Aaaaaand! And we get to learn about surviving out in the wilderness. I mean," she gave a shrug to her cousin and sister, her face still bright and excited. "We know how to survive in a city, but we would _totally_ die in the wilderness. Without a doubt." She nodded, glancing up. "Like, totally die. It would just be embarrassing."

Callie snorted and shook her head at her cousin. "Listen, you city girls would die, but I'm a farm girl. _I_ would survive, but you bitches would totally die. "

Mia burst out laughing at Danny's flat, annoyed look. "Being a country girl is one thing. But this is straight up survival. This training might actually save our lives one day." Green eyes sparkled in amusement. "Besides, we won't be too close to the 'con's base. It's all about, can we survive out there."

A long, limber frame stepped over the women, momentarily blotting out the light that poured into the _Ark_ from outside, before dropping down next to them. Sideswipe grinned at them, dark blue optics sparkling with his own excitement. "That's right." He sang. "Jazz, Sunny and I are going to be doing all the dangerous work while you guys go camping."

Sideswipe grinned at that, at the thought of getting into a scrap with a Decepticon that was not one of their fellow Seekers. "Sneaking into 'Con territory, spying on them, setting up equipment."

"Watching them frag like the pervs you are." Skywarp laughed as he appeared with a _vop_ , suddenly behind a crouching Sideswipe, all smirking and mischievous grin.

Sideswipe snorted, tipping his helm back to smirk at the seeker. "Please, you 'Cons don't do anything fun like that. You're all boring and PG."

Skywarp laughed. "That's only because the _fun_ Decepticons are all here." He wiggled his brows at the humans and Sideswipe, producing snorts and giggles.

Looking rather proud of himself, Skywarp swaggered away just as Thundercracker was making his way outside, the blue Seeker shaking his head at his mate.

"Well," Danny smirked. "At least Callie will have entertainment whilst she's camping."

Sideswipe grinned. "If you can get a picture of them fragging, I will give you ten dollars."

Blue eyes rolled. "Ten whole dollars? How will I resist that?" The blonde huffed, sounding more amused than she should have as she shook her head at the frontliner.

"It would be bragging rights." Sideswipe told her, still looking amused, despite being ignored.

Mia giggled at her sister and Sideswipe's amused looked before Sideswipe tipped his optics down to Danny. "Soooo, I know you're stuck here."

Danny shrugged and Mia grinned. "I can't believe Prowl grounded you." She mocked whispered.

"Right." Sideswipe agreed.

"Can't believe I've been grounded." Danny muttered.

"She deserves it." Sunstreaker said as he joined the party on their way out. "After all, she shot me in the face."

The pretty face smirked down at her and Danny at the very least looked ashamed; it had been six months since the day Sunstreaker awoke, and since he got out of med bay the three of them had become nearly inseparable.

Following the incident in Vegas Sunstreaker had been fully repaired and repainted, and the pair very rarely spoke about what happened in the city. They would occasionally joke about it, something about LVPD not being able to drive and that Sunstreaker throws a mean garbage can, but beyond that they never spoke about Vegas to anyone other than Sideswipe.

"Just don't crash." She added with a smirk, prompting Sunstreaker to snort as he crossed his arms and leaned against the orange wall.

Sideswipe huffed at his twin. "Yeah, whatever. Look, I know I can download it when I get back," he started, when Danny jumped in.

"Yes Sideswipe, I will PVR Walking Dead for you."

Sideswipe beamed at her and behind her Sunstreaker cleared his throat. Danny's head tipped up to him with a smirk. "Yes, I will also PVR Game of Thrones too."

Sideswipe shook his head at the pair with a small frown. "I don't understand why you two like that show."

"Story line." Sunstreaker shrugged.

"Everyone _dies!"_ Sideswipe whined. "How fun is that?"

Sunstreaker glowered at his twin and before the twins spat could devolve into an argument over whose show had more characters die, Mia piped up. "Oh! Oh! Can you PVR American Horror Story too? Lady Gaga is _amazing!"_

Danny grinned and nodded as Sideswipe pushed himself to a standing position to better argue with Sunstreaker over which show was better, Walking Dead or Game of Thrones, Danny laughing at the light barbs the twins threw at each other.

Mia laughed too, light and happy, encouraging the twins on when crimson and navy caught the corner of her eye. Turning, Mia spotted her partner for the next two and a half weeks as Starscream strode in, looking annoyed by the whole situation.

Irritated, crimson orbs slid around the room, falling first to his trine, giving a nod of acknowledgment to the pair of them before they found Mia.

The women gave him a small, uncertain smile and offered a half wave, but her fingers curled into the palm of her hand at his dark look. She allowed her hand to fall back down, the bright smile losing its shine as it fell a little.

The blonde next to her saw Mia deflate at Starscream's dark look, and Callie huffed a small sigh as she griped at her back pack. "You going to be okay? With him?"

"Hmmm? What? Starscream?" Mia gave a shrug, narrow shoulders hunching a little. "Yeah. I'll be fine."

Callie gave her a disbelieving look. "Right." She said slowly. "You're so fine that every time you two are in the same room, you look like you're going to cry."

Mia managed a glare, weak as it was, but a glare none the less. "I'm not going to cry." She muttered, arms crossed over his chest.

Callie sighed again, looking at her younger cousin. "Mia look, you don't have to go with Starscream. Thundercracker and Skywarp can teach you just as well. You don't have to subject yourself to his…. _mood_ just because he saved you."

"That has nothing to do with this!" Mia spat, causing Danny to pause, giving her sister a confused look.

Mia ignored her, green eyes pinned on Callie. "Nothing." She said firmly.

Callie's head tilted, blue eyes worried. "Mia, he's a jerk. An absolute jerk."

"Danny's a jerk too Callie, but no one seems to hold that against her."

Callie sighed, deep and exasperated. "Mia, he wants nothing to do with you. Why are you subjecting yourself to his…to his bull shit?"

Mia looked away, green eyes focused on the twins as they continued to bicker back and forth, mouth in a hard line. "That's my choice, not yours."

Callie's mouth opened, hoping to argue or sooth her cousin, but Mia was at her wits end with the conversation. She turned away, face set, trying to hide from her cousin how upset Callie had made her. She was not _weak_. She had her own skills, and she didn't need her cousin to remind her of that when everyone else did.

"Mia!" Callie called out, her voice weak and falling on deaf ears as Mia wound her way through the crowd that gathered. The blonde's shoulders slumped in defeat, blue eyes meeting helplessly to Danny's dark brown; Danny mirrored her helplessness with a huff.

From across the room, Starscream watched Mia disappear into the crowd, impressed how someone with such bright hair could blend in so readily, ignoring Jazz as he strolled up to the remainder of the group; dark visor flashing, a smirk on his mouth.

Starscream sighed, feeling almost miserable as ruby optics searched out the little human that was going to be in charge of over the next two and a half weeks. His systems rumbled in annoyance that something like hurt feelings would send Mia scurrying. How was he supposed to do _anything_ with her?

A large, heavy frame edged into his personal space and Starscream sighed irritably, his wings twitching before he slumped his own.

"This is your fault." He snarled lowly, not turning around. "There are many other N.E.S.T soldiers I could take on a training mission like this. There is no need to take _her_."

Optimus sighed as he came to stand next to Starscream, watching the twins playful arguing, and Jazz egging them on as Danny and Callie shared a worried look. Optimus could easily guess who had brought up the worry. "Mia is not this horrible little beast."

"I realize that Prime." Starscream sneered. "That does not mean that I wish to train a green, little soldier whose only skill is her _milk sacks_!"

Optimus frowned. "I doubt that the female soldiers would like you referring to their-"

He was cut off by an angry, scratchy voice. "She is not a soldier!"

Optimus stared at him for a long moment. "Not yet, not in the way we see a soldier to be. But she is not without skills Starscream. Skills that need to be encouraged and new ones taught."

The Seeker glared with baleful red optics, and Optimus knew that in order to win Starscream over, he needed to appeal to his ego. "And who better than you to teach her?"

Starscream's wings rose just ever so slightly at the compliment and Optimus knew he had him on the hook at the very least. "Mia needs a teacher who is patient, one who will understand her weaknesses and tell her where and how she is vulnerable. Everyone else, with the exception of her sister-"

"The _grounded_ one."

Optimus nodded. "With the exception of her sister, everyone else treats Mia like porcelain. She needs someone who will not act like she will shatter with a little bit if pressure. She needs _you_ , Starscream, to teach her."

Starscream held his glare to the Prime for a full minute, his sharp mind calculating every angle, every bit of information that Optimus gave him. Eventually the crimson and navy armour deflated a little and settled. "Fine." He groused. "I'll teach the little weakling how to survive. I won't like it though." He spat, more venom in his tone than Optimus thought was necessary.

Yet Optimus still nodded, his hand coming to clasp Starscream's shoulder warmly, causing the Seeker to flinch. "Thank you, Starscream. I know you will teach her well."

The dark grey face looked at him, full of surprise as his crimson optics flickered. Even now Starscream was surprised when anyone thanked him, but more so with Optimus. A testament to how deeply Megatron had gotten into the Seekers head, and how deep those scars ran.

After a moment Starscream shook himself off. "Sure. Whatever. Someone has to teach the little bitlet, might as well be me." Still looking bothered by the whole thing, annoyed even, Starscream shook off Prime's hand and with one last huff and went to collect Mia for their two and a half week long training mission.

Optimus sighed and shook his helm as he watched the Decepticon take even strides in the direction Mia had run, carefully stepping over humans in an attempt to find her. Lennox was gathering everyone up for one last run down of the mission and who would be where and when and with who.

With a deep sigh, Optimus hoped he had not made a mistake partnering them together, but he had hope this would work out for the best. Quietly the Prime turned to go back to his office and complete paper work to finalize the last hanger for the Seekers and the Aerialbots.

* * *

Mia pulled her long, curly hair into a thick, bushy pony tail as Starscream caught up with her and Mia purposely did not look up to meet his optics. Thus far, this was not the best start to a mission.

Lennox outlined what their mission would be; for the most part it was just training. Teaching everyone involved how to evade Decepticon detection, proper radio use and how to set up Wheeljack's new monitors, surviving on their own. It should be fairly easy, even for someone as new as her, a good way to get her feet wet.

Her easy going smile fell away as she focused intently on her commander's explanation, taking in every single word he said. She honestly didn't want to give Starscream any other reasons to dislike her or be irritated at her and make their mission longer then it needed to be.

Her green eyes flashed to the Seeker for a moment, who was standing next to Thundercracker, who had come in to listen to Lennox's words and she huffed a small sigh. She wanted to like Starscream, she really did. It had been him that had saved her life, it had been him that dove for her when Megatron had let her fall; but he was just so _surly._

Crimson orbs flicked to her, neutral face pulling into a frown when he caught her staring. Mia felt her face flush with the embarrassment of being caught staring and quickly brought her eyes back to Lennox. She could feel Starscream's cold stare on the back of her head and she fought not to shiver.

It wasn't as though she had not had a rough start at life, just like Callie and Danny both had, she just didn't carry it like they did. Sure, she had nearly been killed a few times, nearly raped once, but she didn't hang onto things like they did. It rolled off her back once everything was done and over with and she moved on. She didn't hold grudges, but she could be as ruthless as any of them when the time called for it.

She reached up, fingers scratching at her sculpt and felt the raised bump along her hair line; an ex-boyfriend had gotten a little handsy with her, and when she had refused his advances he smashed a full bottle of beer over her head. Mia had proven to everyone that she was just as tough as Callie and Danny and broken that boys nose so thoroughly that he had needed two surgeries to repair it.

She had later gotten fourteen stiches in her head, just under her hairline and when she was stressed out that scar would itch. Sometimes, when she focused too much on it, she could still feel the pull of stiches.

Mia huffed and let her hand drop back to her lap, fingers knotting as Lennox finished up. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back up to Starscream finding his crimson orbs still glaring down at her. She held his gaze this time, and offered him a bright smile. It was just so much easier to be happy then to hang onto her anger, and she determined to help Starscream smile.

Instead the Seeker rolled his optics at her and huffed. Thundercracker leaned over to nudge Starscream's wing, earning himself a glare; the blue Seeker smirked at him, clearly unimpressed with his commander's look.

"Any questions guys?" Lennox asked as he finished up, rough hands clapping in front of him.

There were a few chuckles, heads shaking no. Lennox nodded. "Alright boys, get to it!"

Around her, everyone started breaking off into their unit for the mission; some of the soldiers bumping into her shoulders as she stood as well, fighting her way through the crowd to Starscream. She wasn't sure if they did it on purpose, but tried not to let it bother her.

She ran past Callie, who was standing with Thundercracker and Skywarp, nodding to her cousin as she flew by, trying to ignore the unguarded look of pure worry on the blondes face. She offered a small smirk, just to show Callie there was no hard feelings between them before she quickly bound after Starscream.

The navy and crimson Seeker was waiting for her just outside the _Ark_ ; arms crossed over his canopy and his hip cocked. There was that ever presence look of annoyance on his face.

Mia tried not to skip over to Starscream, any kind of frolicking seemed to irritate him further, but couldn't stop her bright grin up at him.

"Ready partner?" she chirped happily, her argument with Callie washing away.

His optic twitched, it actually twitched, at her words. "Let's get one things straight Mia." He said coldly, his face unchanging once his optic fell still. "We are not friends. We are not partners. We are simply going to get through this, and I'm going to make sure you don't _die_." He spat.

Mia's smile fell a little before she forced it up. "I'm not totally fragile Starscream, I think I can survive a little time outside."

"Yes," he hissed. "I'm sure you can, but this isn't _camping_. There will be no camp fire or any kind of pampering, and you are going to have to rough it."

Mia's smile did slip as she frowned up at him; her mouth opened to rebuff his comment, but Starscream had already turned away and barking at her to hurry up. They had to leave, and get this farce under way.

Trying to not allow her shoulders to droop, Mia glanced back to see Jazz ushering the twins out, all three of them looked revved and ready to go; but most importantly they were all happy to be going with each other.

Mia huffed a sigh, shouldered her bag and quickly caught up with Starscream; her bright smile back in its usual place. Starscream caught how quickly Mia forced that smile up, and vaguely wondered if that was her defence mechanism. He brushed that thought off as he picked her up and transformed; he didn't care, he decided, what kind of mechanisms she had, he just wanted to get through this.

"Alright boys!" Jazz said happily, arms wide as though he were welcoming them home and not on their way out to a mission. "We've got bad boy 'Cons to spy on, you two sorted and ready to roll out?"

The twins stopped their bickering and Sideswipe grinned at his commander, patted his hip where his hidden subspace was kept. "Locked and loaded." His dark blue optics sparkled with excitement. "Let's go make new friends."

Sunstreaker, unlike his twin, sobered with the realization that it was time to start working, and likely start fighting to kill. He gave his commander a curt nod. "Yes Jazz. I am ready to go whenever you are."

Smiling, Jazz nodded. "Alright boys, lets a-go!"

Sunstreaker gave a small nod to Danny as Jazz turned. "Keep out of trouble." He ordered the woman who smirked back up at him.

"Will do." She said brightly. "After all, without you guys to hang out with who am I going to get in trouble with?"

Dark optics rolled. "You're very creative. I'm sure you will find a way." With a final smirk Sunstreaker turned to follow Jazz.

Sideswipe gave Danny a small wave then paused with another "Oh!' He turned fully back to Danny. "Last thing. Can you watch out for Prowl?"

Both Jazz and Sunstreaker paused and half turned back to the crimson hellion, Sunstreaker carefully neutral whilst Jazz looked out right hostile to the idea.

"You know? Make sure he recharges each night, fuels, smiles at least once a day. Without us three here he's bound to worry and when he worries, he over works himself."

Sunstreaker shrugged, turning back to Jazz, accepting that Danny had been given the task of watching out for Prowl in their absence. Jazz, however, still did not look convinced and glared darkly at her.

Danny nodded, her smirk becoming a sincere smile. "I will Sideswipe. I'll make sure he takes care of himself."

Sideswipe grinned. "Thanks squirt!" He said brightly before turning to catch up with Sunstreaker.

Jazz gave her a dark look a moment longer. "You'd better." He added coldly before he turned to leave with the twins.

Danny shivered at the cold tone and knew that Jazz was one of those mechs you simply did not cross. Not ever. Especially with Prowl, and Jazz did not trust her after her little stunt in Vegas.

Swallowing back her fear Danny managed to wave goodbye to the departing Cybertronians and N.E.S.T soldiers before her shift began. Glancing around she noticed that she was the last one at the mouth of the _Ark_ , and with all her friends on a mission she knew it was going to be a long two and a half weeks. Needing breakfast, Danny turned on the ball of her foot and headed to the mess hall before her morning shift began.

It was when she arrived at the mess hall, and Cliffjumper's look became dark as he scowled at her, that Danny knew coming in here had been a mistake, and that these next two and a half weeks were indeed going to be long and brutal; she tasted blood when she bit her tongue to keep her snide comment to herself.

His friend, Brawn, Danny realized after a moment, followed Cliffjumper line of site and frowned at the little human. The Autobot turned back to his little red friend and said something that made Cliffjumper's head shake no, his glare becoming darker.

A shiver went down Danny's spine, like an old instinct telling her that Cliffjumper was not thinking kind thoughts about her.

Dark brown eyes narrowed as her shoulder went back and her chin went up despite the sudden knot of fear in her belly. She was alone, totally alone without her friends now; normally that didn't bother her as she could hold her own in most fights, but if Cliffjumper really did want to kill her then there was precious little she could do to stop him. It was the twins and the Seekers who kept mechs like Cliffjumper at bay, and it had been Optimus's words that stopped Sunstreaker from killing her in Vegas.

Her tongue may be sharp but she was still human. She would still pop if stepped on.

Head still high, dark eyes narrowed as she crossed the hall for coffee and her breakfast. Sucking on her teeth, she refused to turn to look at Cliffjumper but the hair on the back of her neck stood on end and she was certain he was still glaring.

Shoving her food onto a tray Danny turned about face, finding that Cliffjumper was indeed glaring at her. Meeting his glare with her own she held his optics as she crossed the room and out of the mess hall, slumping into a sigh as once she had left.

Staring at her breakfast Danny truly did consider eating breakfast in the bathroom, if anything to get a moment of peace when a better idea popped into her head. Danny had promised Sideswipe she would watch out for Prowl in their absence and she was willing to bet that he would be willing to allow her to join him for his morning energon.

Nodding to herself, she set off for Prowl's office.

Prowl was surprised when he heard a small knock at his door, too low to be a Cybertronian.

"Come in." he called as he commended the door to open; he had discovered very quickly that humans did not take a door opening as an invitation to enter and they usually waited for an audial invitation before entering.

He was surprised, despite not showing it, when a very nervous looking Danny appeared at his door.

"Danny." Prowl nodded to her. "What can I do for you?"

She looked down at her tray, feeling a little stupid and she squirmed. "Uhh. Liz and Aleyah are on shift and all my friends are on the training mission. Soooo I was wondering if I could have breakfast with you." Brown eyes glanced around the room and she offered him a shy smile. "Here."

Prowl blinked at her, his vents sighing. "I'm sorry Danny, but I have a lot of work to do. I really don't have time."

Danny licked her lips and glanced behind her, worried and unusually quiet. "I won't disrupt you."

"You're disrupting me now." He said blandly, icy blue optics tipping back down to his data pad, missing the dismay on Danny's face.

"Please, Prowl?" That brought his optics back to her nervous face. "I'll be quite."

Frowning, Prowl sat back and tented his fingers as he looked at her with suspicion. Danny took his silence as permission to keep going. "I've never had to worry about Callie and Mia out on their own before." She gave a little shrug.

"Liz and Aleyah are here, that should be enough to keep you entertained."

She frowned up at Prowl. "They are, but it's not often that parts of my family are out there alone, where I can't help them."

Prowl sighed, his neutrality falling into semi-annoyance.

"And, this is different. I'm…" her face scrunched up, finding the words before Prowl sent her out of his office. "I'm worried. And Liz is coming off of night shift and Aleyah is getting Lucy ready for school. I don't…I don't have anyone else to be worried with."

Prowl vented a sigh and narrowed his optics. "Alright." He said. "But you must be quiet."

Danny's face beamed as she nodded. "I promise. You won't even know I'm here."

Prowl suspected that would not be the case with Danny.


	2. In Which Camping Goes Wrong

**Important Information**

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** ' bonded speech

' _Blah_ ' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Thank you so much to Darkness_Rising for doing the first round of beta work on chapter 1!

Thank you all for the reviews!

Please head the **FOLLOWING TAGS: The later chapters will contain elements of rape and dub con/ torture.** Keep in mind the later chapters will only be posted on Archive of our Own.

* * *

Starscream squatted in the empty field that he had chosen for their camp grounds for the first two days of their mission; he had found a water source for Mia, but it was deep and moved quickly.

Forearms rested sideways along his thighs, his hands dangling between his knees as he watched Mia; mouth pulled into his usual irritated frown when he had to interact with her, his annoyance inkling higher and higher.

She had first tried to set up her tent on her own; Starscream had sat where he was now, with an extremely unimpressed look on his face as he watched her.

First, her tent would not stay up. Every time she would thread the poles through the fabric of the tent, one would pop lose and collapse the whole thing. He would watch as her face would flush bright red and her shoulders would slump before she would try again.

Forty five minutes later and she had finally gotten her tent up and was finally trying to start a fire so she could eat. Huffing a long suffering sigh, he lifted one of his hands to scrub at his face, trying to rub the annoyance away.

Mia finally sat up, panting and face bright red, the small fire she had tried so hard to start finally catching the kindling under the log.

She panted, beaming up at him, looking oh so proud of herself.

Starscream's frown deepened. "Took you long enough." He said coldly, dark crimson optics flashing as her smile fell. "If this was a real survival situation, it would have taken you far too long to set up shelter and start a fire."

Shock filled her pretty, fair face before anger clouded it. "Well isn't that why we are here?" she spat suddenly, taking Starscream by surprise "So that I can learn how to survive?"

She seemed to take herself by surprise as well as the anger melted away. For a moment they both just stared at each other in surprise, neither sure of what to say.

Mai relented first, shoulders falling. "Sorry." She muttered, knotting her fingers in front of her.

Starscream glared at her. "Stop apologising." He snapped at her. "You apologise too much. Don't be so sorry."

Her face seemed to crumple, and she looked torn. "But….I'm Canadian." She said lamely as through this should explain everything.

"So?" Starscream spat, his pitch hitting a higher note.

"So…it's like. What we do." She offered him a small smile, white teeth flashing. "Canadian's apologise so often, it's not even considered a form of admitting a crime."

Starscream's wings fell as he just stated a Mia.

"It's a cultural thing."

Starscream rolled his optics. "Of course it is." He snapped.

Heat crawled up Mia's face and she chewed on the inside of her cheek. She just…couldn't get anything right in Starscream optics.

"I'm going to get water." She muttered, pushing herself to her feet, grabbing a pot so she could boil it, making it safe to drink.

Starscream looked at the tiny red head, then to the river and its swift current, then back to Mia. "Give me the pot." He spat at her. "I don't have time to be fishing you out of the river if you fall in."

Mia tipped her head up to glare at him. "I'm not stupid. I think I can manage to get water without dying."

Starscream was unconvinced. "Give me your pot," and he really couldn't believe he was arguing over a fracking pot, "and go read that manual on Wheeljack's scanners. We should get the subterranean sensors into the ground by tomorrow afternoon."

She held her ground for a full minute longer, _stubborn little glitch that she is_ , jaw set and hard eyes that screamed of her determination. Eventually her jaw and eyes softened, shoulders loosening. With a put out sigh, Mia held up the pot and allowed Starscream to collect water for her.

Irritated with herself and that Starscream still thought of her as so weak, Mia pulled out the small, fist sized sensors and the manual, and started to read. Somehow she would show everyone that she was more than just bait, more than just a pretty face that distracted guards. She was reliable _damn it_ , and she just needed to prove it.

And she would start the next morning by collecting water.

It was still dark, when Mia's watch quietly buzzed with an alarm. She awoke with a jerk of her body, head coming up off her folded cloths that acted as a pillow and her hand slapped over her wrist, shutting off the alarm.

She froze, not daring to move, hardly daring to breath, as she waited to see if Starscream would wake up. She counted the seconds in her head, not daring to move her hand over her watch in case the little blue light that illuminated the numbers was still lit.

 _Fifteen Mississippi_

 _Sixteen Mississippi_

 _Seventeen Mississippi_

Starscream didn't make a noise, but she could hear his systems running smoothly and calmly as he recharged.

Mia smiled, bright and light when she realized that he wasn't waking up.

Smug, Mia shimmed out of her sleeping bag, moving slowly and carefully as she peeled the crinkling material off her slim body. She was as quiet as she could be, moving slowly to the door of her tent, knowing that last night Starscream had kept her safe from anything out there.

Licking her lips, Mia felt a rush of joyful excitement; this was almost fun. Her thin fingers wrapped around the zipper, wincing as she slowly began to open the door to her tent.

The zipper made such a loud, sharp noise as she unzipped her tent in the piercing silence of the morning. Only when the door was opened, Mia paused again; how many times had she done something like this? Snuck into and out of places she shouldn't be.

Honestly she had lost count.

She leaned forward, her small hands pressing into the soft, wet earth that was still dew covered, her head and chest peeking out of the tent. The fresh air of early morning and simply outside filled her nostrils and she smiled. She had always wanted to go camping, real camping, but with their previous line of work, it made it nearly impossible.

Behind her the sun was just beginning its climb into the dark sky, chasing the moon as the stars began to fade. Head tipping up, her bushy, unbrushed hair falling around her shoulders as she watched the early morning sun rise.

Today would be the day she would prove to everyone she was not weak.

She slipped out of her tent quietly, twisting so she could close it back up, again wincing at the sharp, loud noise caused the crickets to stop their chirping.

She glanced up at the Seeker that recharged next to her tent, his large, lean frame curled loosely around their camp. One arm curled under his helm, pressing into the wet earth and Mia knew that Starscream would complain about the mud that covered his frame.

Moving quietly, Mia crept to her pack, moving ever so slowly over the wet earth as to not disturb the recharging Seeker. She carefully peeling it open to retrieve her small pot, wincing at the sharp noise the zipper made as she opened it. She smirked in triumph, flashing it to the recharging Seeker as her fingers slipped over the cool metal and Mia had a rush of pure excitement at such a simple task. Her pack rustled and the other four sensors gently tinged against the metal of the pot, making her wince.

Behind her Starscream shifted in his recharge, burying his face into the crook of his elbow to hide his offlined optics from the rising sun.

She didn't have much more time, and her nerves flushed with her excitement as she eased the pot all the way out of her pack.

She smirked at Starscream, as through to laugh in his face. As though to say, _see, I can sneak around you! Mister, think-I'm better then everyone-because I can fly Seeker!_

Pushing herself up to stand at her full height, Mia grinned and wriggled her toes into the soft, moist soil. Nodding to herself, knowing she didn't have much more time before Starscream woke up, Mia crept around his large form, the pot pulled tight to her chest. Her green eyes constantly on the seeker, her smile bright as she eased around him, giving his wings a wide berth. She knew, because of Callie, that wings were jammed packed with sensors and could sense movement even in recharge.

With the tid-bit of information under her belt, she stayed well away from the long, thin appendages that hovered just over the ground.

She reached the bank of the river with absolutely no problems and grinned as she settled on a smooth, slick rock near the edge. Glancing back at Starscream once more, she flashed him a triumphed smirk before she leaned forward to dip her pot into the cold water.

This close to the water surface, Mia could see how murky the water looked under the calm, smooth surface.

Tongue peeking out between her plump lips, Mia shifted her body weight forward a little more to better reach the water, and her pot gently broke the surface. It was sudden when her feet slipped and tore on the sharp rock she had been precariously balanced on. Mia cursed as her centre of gravity, already tilted forward, shifted and she was unable to correct herself before she tipped head first into the water with a gasp that was cut off from the water.

Ice cold water soaked her, filled her mouth and Mia fought her way to the surface. Her head broke the surface to take one, deep gasp of air before the under tow dragged her back under before she could call for help. Panic filed her as she flailed and fought to get her head above water. She kicked and clawed and tumbled as the rushing current dragged her further away from camp.

Her lungs burned as she struggled before she finally got her head above water, trying to see if Starscream was nearby, hoping to scream for help as the water got rougher. Choppier.

She tried to scream for help, but she was yanked back beneath the cold waves once more. Water filled her mouth before she could snap her jaw shut, hands coming to her mouth and nose as she struggled. Her lungs _burned_ , and Mia though she was going to drown.

With her eyes clamped shut, Mia's small body slammed hard enough into a rock she was sure her arm would bruise. Yet, she caught on the large stone, the water pressing her into the smooth wall. Mia managed to turn her body, her belly flat to the stone and her fingers digging into any gap they found. She struggled and kicked and pulled herself up, her head finally breaking the water as it rushed around her. Her thin, frail form pinned to the rock by the powerful rush of water.

She reached higher to the rock she was caught on, fingers digging into whatever gap she could find even as the stone was no longer smoothed by rushing water and she cut her fingers on sharp edges. Blood dripped down her fingers an she gritted her teeth as she clung onto the rock; her fingers felt hot and in pain while the rest of her felt like ice from the cold water that rushed around her.

"S-Starscream?" she tried to call out, but her soft voice was lost to the sound of rushing water.

Light stretched across the empty field that Starscream had set them down for the night, searing into his optics as the sun continued its march into the morning sky.

Groaning, the Seeker rubbed at his optics and he forced himself to sit up. He stretched, wings sweeping back and arms reached upwards, he groaned in pleasure when he felt his spinal struts pop and his shoulders shift back into place.

Scrubbing at his face, Starscream looked down at the side that had been pressed down into the mud and he frowned. "Disgusting." He groused.

He pushed himself to his feet, stretching again to warm is frame back up for the day.

"Mia!" he called as he walked to the river to wash off. "Mia you'd better be awake." He called as he stepped into the cold water and shivered. He could feel the speed at which the water moved, deceiving with how calm the water looked on the surface, fast enough the Mia would have been swept away if she had fallen in yesterday.

Cupping his hands, Starscream used the cold water to wash off the mud from his white and blue legs, scrubbing the mud off before moving up to his crimson torso.

Irritation rankled as Starscream cleaned himself, and getting no response from Mia. Flicking his hands clear of the water, the Seeker huffed an irritated sigh as he stepped from the river.

"Seriously fleshling, you need to get up! We need to get that scanner in the ground!" he reached into his subspace to pull out a ration of energon. Cracking it open, Starscream felt his irritation turn to disgust. "Would you get up!" he spat at her.

Ruby optics narrowed on the tent as he lifted the cube to his lips to take a deep draught. The energon tasted clean and fresh on his glossa, not like that crap Megatron used to feed them and it helped take some of his anger out of his systems.

Finishing his energon quickly, Starscream huffed in annoyance. "Mia!" he spat. "You need to get up! We have things to do!"

He fell silent, watching the unmoving tent with narrowed optics. He cursed in Cybertrionion, only so that Mia wouldn't understand his vial insult on her intelligence, and he reached down to pick the tent up.

A deep sense of dread suddenly filled Starscream when he picked up the surprisingly light and very empty tent. The Seeker shifted the tent around, testing it, ensuring that no one was hiding inside.

Yet, the tent was empty. Empty as empty could get. Starscream could hear something rattling around inside, a sleeping bag perhaps. Cloths at most.

Starscream cursed again, dropping the tent, quickly pushing himself to his pedes, looking around in almost a panic. Starscream's wings swept back as ruby optics flashed around for the tiny being who was supposed to be his partner.

His optics went immediately to the river of ice cold water then darted to her open pack. Staring at the pack for a moment, the Seeker glanced back to the river, his wings hiking up in panic.

"Idiot!" he spat, refusing to acknowledge that his spark felt tighter, almost squeezing in his chest at finding her missing. He threw himself into the sky, activating his thrusters and began to follow the river.

He needed to find the little fleshling and hope that she hadn't drown yet.

It hadn't taken Starscream long to find his little fleshling head ache.

It was her flaming orange hair, hanging in wet clumps around her head against the solid grey of the rock that had allowed Starscream to find her so quickly. Relief so real he felt as though he could have touched it suddenly filled him before it was replaced by fury.

Stupid little girl! What was she thinking!

He cut his thrusters, and he fell with a thud into the water. It rushed around his knees, seeping into joints and behind his armour. His hands came to his hips and his wings swept back and high, blotting out the morning sun so that only his baleful ruby optics glared down at her.

Mia was plastered against the unforgiving surface of the rock, one side of her face pressed against the sharp edge, her fingers had gone bone white as she clung to the surface.

"Idiot!" he spat at her, his rage making his wings tremble. He knelt down, servos cupped to ease Mia off the rock.

Mia fell limp and boneless in his palm, her bright hair making her skin look almost translucent as she panted and gasped for air. Managing to get her hands close to her body, she tucked them under her arms, her whole body trembling in an attempt to keep warm.

Snarling, Starscream turned, walking back up river, having no trouble what so ever to push back against the current.

"You stupid, little _git_!" he spat at her, not knowing what else to call her. "What were you thinking! What where you possibly be thinking!"

"S-sorry." Mia muttered softly, her entire body shaking in an attempt to warm itself back up. What had once been pleasantly cool wind was now like ice against her wet skin.

Starscream snarled and opened his cock-pit. Carefully he placed the tiny, shivering human into the bottom of his cock-pit, focusing all his internal heat into his centre to warm her. The glass canopy clicked shut as he huffed, and the glass fogged up almost immediately.

"Sorry." He spat, shaking his head and his warred between anger and annoyance and that so very real relief that she wasn't dead. Mia lay shivering at the bottom of his cock-pit in a wet lump, relieved that she wasn't head but so full of shame at failing so miserably. The tears that strained her face were hidden by the water, but it didn't wash away her humiliation of failing.

Words from her old gang, those she dared called friends popped into her mind. _The weak one._ They had called her. _The bait. Nothing but a pretty face._

 _Nothing._

* * *

Three days into the seventeen and a half days of training Danny had kept her promise. Every morning she would come to Prowl's office, quiet and unsure. She would smile up at Prowl and ask if he had fuelled and only when he said he had, would she find a spot on the floor and eat her breakfast. Prowl had given her an odd look, almost one like pity before he lowered his hand and silently offered Danny the choice to eat up on his desk rather then the floor.

Danny had been delighted at the offer, and had given him a quiet thanks for his understanding.

Despite their rocky start after what had happened with Sunstreaker in Vegas, Prowl found Danny to be a human of her word. She never caused any disruptions during her breakfast and kept her head down during her shifts and training. She seemed to understand why she was being punished, despite how she had wanted so badly to go with Jazz and the twins, but accepted her 'grounding' quietly.

Prowl had been curious why she continued to eat breakfast in his office and when asked she told him that her two sisters were busy this early in the morning, and she just felt…comfortable with Prowl, Which was something that confused Prowl. They hardly knew each other so she should not be taking comfort with him.

It was on that third day that Prowl decided he would go and meet Danny in the mess hall. After all, there was no reason they had to eat in his office all the time, and it did well with the troops to see their commanders during down time as well. It would also allow Prowl to see if there was something going on with the little human who had befriended the twins.

It was by coming to the mess hall that Prowl started to piece together what was going on, and why Danny seemed to refuse to eat in the mess hall.

The room was large and bright, something both Lennox and Prime had insisted on; they all spent so many days in the dark, both emotionally and in the environment, it made sense to make the living quarters bright.

Stepping into the mess hall, Prowl frowned, watching as Danny crossed the room, her small, squishy body stiff and her brown eyes flashing to Cliffjumper. The red minibot didn't bother to hide his disdain, his angry baby blue optics burning holes into the back of Danny's head as he tracked her quick progress across the mess hall. Prowl watched, face carefully neutral, as Bumblebee leaned over and whispered something to the small, red mech. He watched as Cliffjumper's look darkened and his head shook in stubbornness, despite the pleading look Bumblebee gave him.

So, that was this was all about. Danny was in a state of constantly on guard and on edge, Cliffjumper no doubt thinking of ways to tear her down. The fact she was human likely the only thing saving her from an outright, direct attack.

Squaring his shoulders and evening out his wings, Prowl glided into the room, making sure to choose a route that would put him directly between Cliffjumper and Danny.

His bright white armour broke whatever trance the minibot had put himself in, glancing up at Prowl in surprise. He frowned a little, before turning back to Bumblebee and Huffer.

Shaking his helm, Prowl turned to get a cube of energon, ice blue optics flashing to where Danny's tense body quickly gathered her breakfast and to where Cliffjumper's dark look wandered back to.

Danny turned the same time Prowl did, and the look of relief on her face was something so real, Prowl could feel the relief where he stood. Body still tense, Danny walked straight for him, brown eyes flashing to where Cliffjumper ground his denta and she gave a smirk of victory. Cliffjumper wasn't stupid enough to say something or act out with Prowl in the room.

Shoulders pushed back she flashed a grin to Prowl who sighed and led her from the mess hall, walking slowly enough to let her small steps keep up with him.

"Why does Cliffjumper look as though he wishes to dismantle you?" Prowl's cold voice asked once they were alone in the hall.

Danny's shoulders slumped and she looked down at her tray of food. "Probably because I'm Sunstreaker's friend."

Cube still in hand, Prowl gave her an odd look. "Is that why you came to eat in my office? For protection?"

Again, she shrugged. "Maybe a little." Brown eyes, full of worry lifted up to meet his cool blue. "Sideswipe also asked me to make sure you fuelled and look out for you while he was gone." Prowl couldn't detect any hint of a lie there, so he allowed her to continue. "So you know…two birds and all that."

Prowl startled at that, but nodded. He knew the twins and Jazz always asked someone to look out for them while they were away like this, usually a close friend of theirs on base, someone to pop in on him to make sure he was well fuelled and rested. It surprised him that Sideswipe had asked the human, but it also warmed him a little that she had not said no; a lot of mechs told the twins and Jazz no, when they asked others to check in on him.

Prowl paused, thinking carefully about his next words. Jazz was always much better than he was at these interpersonal conversations. "You are…still welcome to continue to have breakfast in my office until the twins return." Danny's head tilted up with a smile.

"Thanks Prowl." She said gently.

They walked a little further in silence, soldiers and mechs rushing to and from their duties, allowing them both to ponder their next words.

"Danny, do you need to be escorted to your shifts?"

Danny's smile turned into a smirk with sharp angles. "Thank you Prowl, but I can get myself to my duties. Cliffjumper isn't stupid enough to outright attack me, and even if he does there are plenty of ways to maneuver in the halls."

Prowl nodded, but despite Danny's words he would ensure to make it a habit of being in the mess hall during morning rations, just to ensure that Cliffjumper did not continue to be hostile towards Danny until the twins returned.

It was the least he could do, since she was tasked with looking out for him. Surely he could return the favor to the twins' friend? They may have had their differences, especially after what occurred in Vegas with Sunstreaker, but they were moving past that right? Sunstreaker surely was and seemed to actually enjoy spending time with Danny. Their friendship was something that pleased Prowl knowing how antisocial Sunstreaker was. It was also something the black and white door winger suspected was what Prime had been hoping for as well when he had sent Sunstreaker to fetch Danny.

With that settled in his mind Prowl gave himself a small nod as they continued down the hall way, back to his office. Prowl's door wings twitched with what Jazz called his 'Spidey Sense', whatever that meant, just as Liz came down the other end of the hall.

Her small shoulders drooped low from the exhaustion that bred from working the night shift, her pale face seemed even paler, causing the freckles splashed across her nose to look even darker than usual, and the black and blue bags under her eyes looking almost like bruises.

Danny frowned when she saw the state of her little sister, her body stiffening at the dishevelled sight of her, but before she could open her mouth Liz perked up, her grin exhausted but excited.

"Morn'n Danny. Don't be mad with Blaster, I'm just getting off shift now but it was _so cool!"_

Prowl could see the exact moment Danny's body relaxed, had she been Cybertronian he would have sworn he heard her battle protocols wind down.

As the two humans spoke in gentle tones, talking about their days, catching up, Prowl's door wings twitched again, and out of habit he looked down the hall, from the way he and Danny had come.

Red Alert looked furious. His navy blue optics were narrowed in anger, his shoulders hunched up around his helm and the way he clenched his fists and ground his denta, Prowl knew the coming storm would not be a good one.

Skidding around the corner, Inferno's large frame tried to catch up, but when Red Alert was focused on a task it was with laser precision and a one track minded focus. The blue sparks from his audio horns the only sign of Red Alert's true anxiety that was being masked as rage.

Prowl glanced down at the two humans, completely unaware of the coming storm, and he tried to step between them and Red Alert, hoping to sooth his rage over whatever Danny had done. Prowl not even suspecting that it was _not_ Danny that their security director was furious with.

Prowl's door wings came up with his hand, mouth opening to tell Red Alert to stand down, that whatever Danny had done Prowl would deal with it when the yelling started.

" _You!_ " Red Alert snapped, face now heating up with his anger, a large finger jabbing aggressively at Liz. "You stupid little jerk! Do you have any idea what you are doing!"

Prowl went stiff, optics narrowed, there was no need for name calling, no matter how angry one was.

"Any idea? Any at all?!"

Behind him Inferno panted, trying to calm his partner. "Red. Red calm down, Ah'm sure she doesn't mean anything by it."

Red Alert's head whipped around, his mouth pulled into a hard angry line. "Doesn't mean anything by it! This irritating little creation has been hacking into my system for _weeks!_ She is a nuisance. She's doing it on purpose!"

There was a sudden lull in Red Alert's angry words, so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop, so when there was a soft, half suppressed sob, it sounded so much louder than it should have.

Prowl turned his own icy optics from Red Alert's navy, down to the two humans by his pedes. Danny's face had gone red with her anger at Red Alert's words but Liz's skin was almost translucent with shock and her brown eyes widened. Unshed tears glistened in her dark orbs and her hands knotted in front of her as they shook with such force.

Liz's shoulders hunched and she tried to make herself as small as possible. "I...I...I'm not stupid." She said firmly, despite how her voice shook and the small hiccup of a broken sob. "I...I thought you understood what I was doing."

Confusion and irritation warred on Red Alert's face and he narrowed his optics on her suspiciously. "And what have you been doing?"

Her thin hands knotted together so tightly Prowl thought her fingers would break. "It...It's how you make better systems. It's how me and my…my hacker friends got so good." She gave a wet laugh that hid the half sob. "It's how I was able to learn how to hack into the pentagon systems when I was younger."

Red Alert's optics narrowed "Get to the point." He spat.

"W…well. By attacking and defending our systems we learned each other's weaknesses. I...I was helping you point out your weaknesses. Because…because if I can get into your systems, so can other hackers, so can Soundwave."

Red Alert jerked back, looking as though he had just been slapped, navy optics going wide as he stared down at the tiny human. "What?"

Liz's round face nodded. "Your systems are _lacking_." She said softly, her face falling to hide her shame. "You haven't integrated your Cybertronian tech with our Earth tech very well so you've left yourself wide open to cyber attacks. And you don't realize how vulnerable you are, buy _you_ won't listen to me so I had to show you where you were lacking."

"So…so you attacked my systems so I was forced to fix and improve them?" Red Alert asked, sounding suddenly shell shocked, all the anger wiped from his face.

Liz nodded, her small blonde head tipped down so her hair hid her face. One hand came up to scratch at her upper arm. "Yeah." Her voice had grown small. "Sorry." She whispered.

Without saying anything else she turned and marched the way she had come from, everyone too stunned to chase after her.

Only when Liz's tiny form disappeared around the corner did Danny turn her stunned face up to Red Alert, her surprise melting into anger.

"You're a real jerk!" She spat at him.

Prowl sighed inwardly, this would get them nowhere. "Danny, would you please go and ensure Liz is okay before you go onto shift?"

With one last dirty look at Red Alert the burgundy haired women turned on the balls of her feet and stormed after her sister.

Prowl gave Red Alert a disappointed look that had him also scuttling back the way he came, his own shoulders hunching as he whispered "I didn't know." to Inferno, his voice laced with guilt.

Prowl sighed again and hoped that this would be the last drama that he had before Jazz returned. He would need to speak with Red Alert when he calmed down, Liz too, to ensure that neither of them continued to irritate and hurt each other.

Although, if Prowl was honest with himself, he could see what Liz was doing and why it was not necessarily a bad idea.


	3. Going Wrong

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed and read. This chapter is not beta'd.

As another reminder to please read the warnings in the tags. Things will be getting dark soon, and especially head the rape/non-con tags.

Also, for my FanFic . net readers, please be reminded that the full story will be posted over on Archive of Our Own under the same pen name.

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Starscream suppressed a vent of irritation, crimson optics narrowed as his wing twitched behind him. His hands balled into tight fists, before relaxing next to his hips; his lethal claws shifting in and out of his fingers as he fought to keep his growing annoyance to a minimum.

The source of all his annoyance was at his pedes; curly red hair falling around her shoulders softly, green eyes focused on her note pad, the tip of her pink tongue sticking out and caught in her white, gleaming teeth as she wrote in it.

She took another read, little pink tongue flashing out to lick her plumb lip before being caught in her teeth again.

Starscream felt his irritation grow. They hadn't spoken about what happened the day before, just as they had not spoken about when Megatron nearly killed Mia. He didn't want to be seen as her 'hero', because, he wasn't. He just happened to be the one nearby when she had done something stupid and nearly ended up dead. The stunt with the river had done nothing but prove that Mia was not fit for the field. At all.

In any way shape or form. Even something as simple as a training mission, something that should have had very little to no danger, she nearly ended up getting killed.

It wasn't that he disliked Mia, to be fair he didn't really know her, but he disliked her vulnerability. Her helplessness. She was human, she had that going against her, but unlike Callie she didn't have a sharp mind and unlike Danny she didn't have a sharp tongue. That didn't mean that Mia was dumb, she was just so inexperienced and lacked the survival skills of a warrior, and that was nothing but irritating.

It had been so very long since he had, had to deal with someone truly green. At least even the Arealbots had been given some kind of instincts and basic battle protocols.

Green eyes tipped up to his annoyed face before Starscream could mask his irritation, the little half smile falling from her face, the shame of failure quickly returning. Starscream didn't have to tell her he thought she was weak, she already knew.

She dropped her face, nervously tugging at the pages of her note book with a frown. Head tipping back, mouth open to say something, when their small radio came to life, voices full of static and far away.

 _"_ _Units in the field, this is your first and last check in. Report."_ It was Prowl's cool voice, and Mia's shoulders lowered as she relaxed at the sound of his voice.

 _"_ _All's good out here Prowlier."_ Came Jazz's musical voice, happy and excited. _"All's good in the land of 'Con's."_

Thundercracker's voice, smooth and calm came next, and Starscream found himself relaxing to hear his trine mate's voice. _"All is well out here Sir. No problems."_

Thundercracker was the epitome of professional, especially when it comes to running missions. Even silly training missions such as this.

Mia perked up as other N.E.S.T teams came in with their all clears, waiting for her turn to let Prowl know they were safe.

Her small hand wrapped around the receiver, her smile growing as her turn came up. "All is clear Sir." Her voice was smooth and professional and Starscream's optics rolled with a huff. Mia was fit for comm's and nothing more.

 _"_ _Well done teams. We will be going back into radio silence until the end of your mission. We will see you all soon."_

Just as quickly, Prowl's voice cut out and again Mia and Starscream were alone.

She tipped her head up with a bright, beaming smile, but it didn't quite meet her eyes. , Starscream had already turned away, missing her near sad look. "Come on." He groused. "Let's get onto the next camp ground and get the next sensor into the ground."

Mia's smile fell again, and she heaved a sad sigh.

She tried to offer a small smile to the Seeker. "Hey, maybe we can find another river or a lake to make camp next to." She brightened a little more. "I can teach you how to fish! It's pretty hard, it's the waiting that drives most people away. They find it boring."

Starscream paused, turning to glower at the human over his shoulder and Mia continued, undaunted. "I've never actually cleaned a fish before though. But Callie walked me through how to do it. It shouldn't be too hard."

The hopeful look she gave him, reminded Starscream of Skywarp when they were young and naïve. It was the youthful hope that twisted his spark painfully before it was walled behind a barrier of sarcasm and hate.

It had been so long, too long really, since they were younglings innocent from war.

"No." he said flatly. "You'll only end up nearly drowning again." He spat at her. "And I have no need to learn to fish."

Smile slipping again, Mia sighed. "Well. It was more so that we could, you know. Hang out."

"And what?" Starscream spat. "You think we will become friends? Like the twins and their little monster? Or Thundercracker and Callie? Did you actually think that we would have a moment out here?"

Mia's face paled, her frown deepening. "Well…I had been…hoping…we could talk at least."

Starscream sneered at her. "Come one. We have to go."

Still frowning, Mia shouldered her heavy pack, and prepared to move camp."Don't have to be so moody." She muttered darkly under her breath, her own anger at Starscream starting to ignite.

* * *

Prowl clicked his comm's off, door wings lowering in relief. He had not doubted that the teams in the field would be fine, this was after all just a training mission and the break in radio silence solely for learning purposes. Yet, training mission or not, Jazz was in the field with the twins, and that always had Prowl worried, and there was always a sense of great relief to hear they were alive and well.

"Everyone is fine?" Danny asked from the spot she liked to sit on his desk; she was leaning against his lamp, her finished breakfast pushed to the side so she could read her book.

"Everyone is fine." He confirmed as he tilted his head back towards his computer so he could send out a message to Optimus and Epps, the human who was in charge in Lennox's stead.

Danny gave a nod, brown eyes flicking across the paper of her book. Assuming that their conversation was over, Prowl went back to his message and a comfortable silence settling between them.

"Prowl, can I ask you a question?" came the unexpected words.

Still typing, Prowl nodded. "Of course."

"Where do babies come from?"

Prowl gave pause to that, a small frown pulling at his lips as icy blue optics tipped down to her. "Well," he said calmly, despite how flustered he suddenly felt. "I had always assumed that you had, at this age of course, understood how you species procreate. I suppose it begins,"

"I was talking about Cybertrionions." She said suddenly, face red despite her grin. "I know where human babies come from, but how do…you know. _You_ guys do the do?"

Prowl's door wings flickered in embarrassment as Danny's head tipped up. "I mean, you must have to be able to create…right? Otherwise as a species you'd…"

"We would die off, yes." He said calmly at seeing there was nothing mocking in Danny's eyes, just pure curiosity, and he was never one to shame another for wanting to know more. To learn.

"We cannot create frames within our own frames like your species can, but there are two ways a spark can be created." She had closed her book and set it down as she twisted to give Prowl her full attention.

"The more common way in the past has been to spark merge. Two sparks are pressed together and if the two sparks can reach the appropriate heat, they go super nova. If, during the time they are going surper nova, the two Cybertronions are also interfacing with their spike and valve, the individual utilizing their spike will ejaculate into their partner, and that transfluid is used as a source of ignition to create a new spark."

Wide brown eyes blinked up at Prowl as she took in what he had just said. "Wait…spike and valve? So that's like our…" she gestured to herself.

Prowl gave a small nod, his hands clasped lightly on the table in front of her, slightly uncomfortable. "Correct, we have three forms of interfacing, and our spike and valve components are very similar to your human genitalia."

Danny's face flushed bright red that went all the way up to her hair line at the mention of human anatomy, but she allowed Prowl to continue. "Both spark merging and interfacing with components are used for pleasure," her face got impossibly redder. "But both are necessary to create a new spark."

Nodding, face still bright red, Danny's voice was oddly quiet. "So…it must be kind of hard to spark then. If you have to like….have your sparks joined, have to reach a certain temperature and have one partner cum inside the other."

"It is rather difficult. But many enjoy attempting it." Prowl agreed, his own face heating at her comment.

Danny barked a laugh and she began to relax a little. "Do…. Do you need to be bonded?"

Prowl's head tilted and a ghost of a smile graced his lips. "No. But many find it difficult not to fall into a bond while their sparks go super nova, but it is not impossible."

Danny nodded again, chewing on her cheek. "What about the third way?" and Prowl could see the cogs running in her head. "And does everyone have the same parts? Do you have genders?"

"The third way is, easily translated for you, is 'plug and play'. Meaning, you would jack into your partners net and systems and they would do the same to you. With that, you are able to manipulate your partners EM and sensor net. This method had no reproductive value, and is solely used for pleasure."

Leaning back in his chair, Prowl tilted his head, cheeks heating. "No, we do not have genders. All of our people have the exact same parts, regardless if they are large, small, a combiner, more masculine or feminine. We just happen to use male pronouns as it unsettled certain members of N.E.S.T high command when we used nothing at all. Most on base use the 'he', 'him', 'his' pronouns, so it just made it easy to fall into those patterns."

Danny made a 'huh' noise and settled back against the lamp. "You said there was two ways of creating. What was the second?"

"Ah, that would be Vector Sigma and the use of a key. It would create a slightly more mature spark that could be placed into a fully mature frame. Although the mech's that are created from Vector Sigma are a little more immature, they are more functional then sparkling born from a spark merge." Sadness filled Prowl's optics. "Often, mechs born from Vector Sigma were born in a batch, and often were used as fodder for war. Occasionally there would be a spark born of unusual power or intelligence, but most never had the chance to develop it."

"Oh." She said with a nod and sadness in her eyes, and after a moment of thinking, she shrugged and went back to her book. "Thank you Prowl. For, answering my questions."

Prowl nodded, going back to his key board, pausing before he touched it. "Danny, why the sudden questions? You could have gone to Callie to find out your answers, why ask me?"

The women lifted her eyes from her book to look back to Prowl. "Well, I thought you would be the only one who would answer me truthfully and not….ridicule me." She gave another shrug when Prowl frowned.

"You think others would have mocked you?" he knew his words were true the moment when they left his mouth, before she frowned up at him and tilted her head. Prowl signed and nodded. "Alright, yes, that was a dumb question." He admitted. "But why all these sudden questions?"

Danny's mouth pulled into a hard line and her eyes dropped again. They suddenly became cold and hard as she stared at her clasped hands. Her voice was small and brittle and angry. "Shockwave." Was all she said.

Prowl froze at that name, his own icy optics hardening into chips of ice. "And what did Shockwave have to say?"

Danny didn't say anything for a long moment, just continued to play with the edges of her book. "It's…not really my story to tell." She said quietly, almost defensively.

"Did he tell you what happened to the twins?"

Licking her teeth, Danny nodded.

"I found the twins when they were rescued Danny. I know what happened, what Shockwave and Megatron did to them."

There was another long moment of silence. "He used it to hurt Sunstreaker. To mock him. I figured out enough to know it was not right. That Shockwave and Megatron had…" she couldn't say the word. The thought of the big strong twins, her _friends,_ being treated like that hurt and enraged her, knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it from happening to others.

Prowl vented a sigh, door wings lowering. "Megatron, and others raped the twins in an effort to force them to spark. Sparking is already a very difficult process, even before the stress of being assaulted. Add to the mix they are twins, and it was impossible for them to spark under those conditions."

Danny nodded, dark eyes hard with rage. "Shockwave knew."

Prowl looked up in surprised at her cold words. "Excuse me?"

"Shockwave. He said that…he said that you need to breed twins together, but he didn't tell Megatron."

Prowl sat stone still, optics going emotionless and hard, chewing on that. "He said that?"

Danny nodded, lips puckered in anger. "Why would he do that?" Dark, furious brown eyes lifted. "Shockwave said something about perfecting a gestalt programing. Or something."

Prowl sucked on his denta, optics narrowing in anger. "He would do that." He said coldly, voice full of his anger. Rage flared hot through his chest, and he clenched his fists tightly. He had never known that, never known that Shockwave had been as cruel as to debase two fine mech's like this. Two fine mechs that he had come to care for as his own younglings.

"So," she said slowly. "I was just curious as to how baby Cybertronians were made. I didn't trust everything that ass hole was saying." She shrugged.

Burying his rage, he would use it later, Prowl took a deep vent and released it slowly. "Curiosity is fine Danny, it is how one learns." He paused, still trying to put all that rage he felt into its box. What had been done to the twins….his twins hurt him in ways he didn't dare to try and explain. It was his family that had been brutalized. "But, perhaps this knowledge be left between us. There are some on this base who do not understand nor do they care to understand anything outside of what they view as 'normal'."

Danny nodded, and started to chew on her cheeks again. "Prowl? Are…the twins okay? Like…are they okay?"

Prowl paused and eyed the human. "You are their friend, and if they feel as though you are trust worthy to talk to, they will. I would not press the issue though." Danny nodded, trying to understand, wanting to help. "They are however, as okay as one can be in their position."

Danny nodded and grinned. "Thank you Prowl." She chirped, striving for happiness but not quite hitting the mark.

"You are welcome Danny." He said calmly, despite the anger he buried. "I worry about them as well." Danny flashed a grin up at Prowl, feeling the some kind of kinship with him. "But they are stronger then you think, and a friend is what they need."

Danny nodded, and the bad feelings began to dissipate ever so slowly. "I hope so."

She went back to her book and the comfortable silence returned. "I have asked Perceptor to train with Aleyah. He is not as good a shot as Bluestreak, but I feel as though his calmer demeanor will benefit her."

The conversation turned to something a little more normal, something they both could speak easily about without enraging each other.

Danny grinned. "Someone needs to have the patience to deal with her. If you think I have a temper, I have nothing on Aleyah."

There was now someone else who shared the twins secret, someone who could be relied on to help them, if need be. Someone to look out for the twins should he ever fall in battle.

Prowl snorted as he went back to his report. "Perceptor is full of patience. It is why I choose him over Bluestreak."

"Huh. I thought he was a scientist."

"He is. But he spent some time with the wreckers and after nearly being killed, he taught himself how to shoot. He felt he needed to be more useful to the army then with just science. However, acting as a sniper is nothing but science and math. Things Perceptor is highly accomplished at."

Danny looked up, almost surprised. "No kidding?"

Confused, Prowl looked back down at her. "No, I am not kidding. Why would I kid about that?"

Danny smiled and gave a small, exasperated sigh. "Prowl, I think you need to borrow Thundercracker's data pad on slang and sarcasm."

Prowl nodded. "Between speaking with you and Sideswipe, I may have to."

Danny snorted, and went back to her book, that oh so comfortable silence falling between them again, and Prowl could see why the twins liked Danny. When she wasn't being a pain, and that was rather often, she was bright and kind, but most importantly she was loyal.

That was something the twins needed in their lives.

Perhaps, Danny and her family needed that too and that was something Prowl could help provide.

* * *

Hound frowned down at his little human friend; he had heard about the blow out between Red Alert and Liz from Danny, but the bony little human was taking it far harder then any of them would have thought.

Liz looked as though she would cry again, sitting on the table between himself and Mirage, staring off into space, her closed lap top clutched to her chest.

Mirage had, as he often was when it came to delicate emotions in people like Liz, been a little too harsh when he told Liz she should not have been so surprised. Red Alert was protective of his systems because he was protective of his team and he only saw Liz's attempts as being a nuisance.

Mirage had tried to cheer her up, in his own Nobel way, but it had fallen flat with someone as sensitive as Liz. Hound wondered how someone like Liz had ended up as sensitive as she had with the upbringing she had. Even little Lucy had a thicker skin then Liz.

Blue optics slipped around the mess hall, in his mind ticking off who was coming off shift and who was going to shift. It was harder now to keep track of who was coming and going with the hall a little less full with so many mechs and humans in a training mission, and everyone else picking up extra shifts.

A flash of blue caught his optic, and Hound grinned when he saw Blurr come into the Rec room. Blurr who was practically bouncing with energy even coming off a shift, and had that permanent grin on his face. Blurr was cheerful and friendly, and if Hound had to leave his little friend in anyone's company, it would be Blurr.

"I'll be right back." Hound chirped, drawing Mirage and Liz's attention. With one last beaming grin, the green mech gave Mirage's shoulder a squeeze before getting up to catch up with Blurr.

"Blurr! Hey Blurr!" the green mech called, his smile wide and optics sparkling.

The light blue mech turned, helm fins catching the light as Hound called his name, frowning. He and Hound did not often associate, and Hound never came to him for anything.

"Blurr, I need some help with something."

Confusion turned to suspicion and Blurr leaned back as he crossed his arms. "Depends." He said smoothly, his words naturally quick and he had to slow them down for non-racers. "What's in it for me?"

Hound's smile faltered a little, but he managed to push it back up. "I heard you were looking for someone to swap your com duty shift next week," Blurr's helm tilted in interest and Hound took it as a sign to keep going. "I guess some kind of human race is going on next weekend?"

Interest perking, Blurr gave a little nod. "Danny said it was some kind of secret race that's posted on the internet. All the young race car drivers compete to get a slot in this race so they can be scouted by pros!"

"Well," Hound continue, gaining confidence, "If you help me, I will take your com's shift!"

Blurr paused, his smirk was brief as he gave a sharp nod. "Okay! What do you need from me?"

Hound beamed. "My friend Liz,"

"The bony little human?" Blurr made a face, one that may have been disgust, glancing around Hound to look at the little blonde.

Hound gave him a disappointed look. "Yes, her name is Liz. And she's been down since she had a falling out with Red."

Blurr snorted and shook his head. "I heard." He gave a little chuckle. "I think the whole base heard."

Hound's frown deepened as he stared at Blurr. "This was a mistake." He said suddenly, not willing to put Liz through any more pain at the hands of another Autobot.

Blurr's face fell, suddenly realizing that he may lose his chance to see the race Danny had told him about if he couldn't change his com shift.

"Wait, wait, wait!" he said quickly, his lean frame moving even faster to grasp Hound's shoulder. "No need for that!" he said brightly. "Let me guess, your little friend is down in the dumps and you need someone to cheer her up?" his grin turned sly. "Right?"

Hound gave him another frown, light blue optics narrowing a little in suspicion. "Only while I'm on shift." The tracker's face softened a little. "She's pretty upset over the blow out with Red Alert."

Blurr nodded. "Mhmm! Sure!"

"I'm serious Blurr. He really hurt her feelings. I need someone to try and help cheer her up. Can you do that?"

Blurr's easy grin slid into place with practice ease. The one that would have had media and race reps eating out of his hands. "Hound, of course I can." He placed a hand over his chest. "I promise, I will cheer your little friend up."

Hound gave a small sigh, not entirely sure if he believed him. "Alright, I'll introduce you two."

Blurr beamed, one step closer to getting to see this race. He draped an arm over Hound's shoulders as he eased the tracker around. "I'll take care of your little human! I'll even have her laughing by the time your off your next shift."

Hound gave Blurr a doubtful look as he lead the former racer to where Mirage and Liz sat, the Noble giving the racer a suspicious look as they neared.

"Hey Liz," sad blue eyes lifted to look at Hound, glancing to Mirage for reassurance, before looking back to Hound when she found none. "This is Blurr. He's a former racer, and he's going to hang out with you today."

Those sad blue eyes flickered to Blurr and she offered him a small shrug. "Sure."

Blurr's wide smirk began to slip as he glanced at Hound, who met his optics with a worried look. "So…ummm. Mirage and I have to go to our shift…" the green mech glanced between Liz and Blurr. "But I'll see you after!" he assured.

Liz glanced to Hound and offered a watery smile. "Okay, thanks Hound." Then instantly her smile fell and she glanced back at her knobby knees.

Hound hesitated a moment longer, glancing once more to Liz. "Have a good day." He said weakly with a small wave.

Liz waved good bye, but didn't look up.

Blurr huffed a sigh, and plopped down in the seat Hound left empty, crossing his arms.

"So." The former racer started, helm tilting. "You're off today?"

Thin shoulders shrugged and the blonde head bobbed in a nod. Blurr sighed, and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

Frowning, Blurr thought about ditching the human. He'd tell Hound that he had hung out with her during his shift, but when Hound found out he skipped out on their deal, he would look at him with those big blue optics and make him feel guilty.

So he stayed where he was, pouting at the small human.

"Soooo…" he tried again. "I heard you ticked off Red Alert."

Not the smoothest approach, but the most direct.

The little blonde head tilted up, large watery eyes looking up at him sadly, her voice so very small. "I upset him." She said very quietly.

Despite himself, Blurr felt his spark squeeze. He gave a nervous chuckle, and offered her a grin. "Yeah, but its Red Alert. _Everything_ upsets him. Like. Literally everything."

"But this is something _I_ did. I was the one who upset him." She sunk into herself, shoulders hunching as she tried to make herself smaller.

Blurr frowned. "You know. I once knocked out one of his sensors when I was racing around the perimeter of our base back on Cybertron." He gave her his best smirk. "You know, racers gotta race right? It's in us to run hot and hard. Instinct."

She didn't say anything, just gave him a sad look, large blue eyes were wide and watery.

"So, yeah, things happen. Shouldn't let it get to ya too much. Besides, he'll get over it." He paused, his head tilting as he thought.

"Hey! I know what might cheer you up! Let's go for a drive! I'll help you forget about Red Alert being…Red Alert."

"I-I don't know Blurr. Racing is kind of Danny's thing…"

"It'll be fun! Promise! You've never driven with _me_ before, it's a whole new experience." He beamed at her, his voice dropping to a mock whisper. "No other human has _ever_ driven with me. You'll be the first. And that's sort of a big thing!"

Liz blinked up at him, and although her eyes were still watery, her smile lost its sad edge. She giggled a little and she final scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeve.

"Alright Blurr. But only because it's sort of a big thing."

Blurr smirked at her, it was after all a win/win; he got to go racing, even if it was just against the clock, and he helped keep Hound's little friend happy.

Offering his hand, Liz only hesitated for a moment before she slowly stood, awkward and small, before stepping onto his offered palm. Blurr grinned down at her, blue optics sparkling with amusement. "This'll be a lot of fun." He assured her.

Liz brightened a little, her smile becoming a little more genuine.

From the corner of the room, a security camera's little red light blinked and Red Alert felt the first wave of jealousy hit his spark when he watched Blurr interacting with Liz so easily.

* * *

Starscream huffed an annoyed sigh, optics off line as he took a deep, calming vent. Mia, her small nose now in her training manual, brows drawn together in concentration.

It was not that he did not like Mia, more that he was impatient with her. The Ariels had reason to be as immature as they were. They were but children forced into adult frames, they were still learning. Mia was an adult by her species standards. She survived a dangerous childhood, and was family to the likes of Callie and Danny, and sure those two had their own _issues_ , but they had survival instincts.

It was those survival instincts that had saved Thundercracker and Sunstreaker's lives. Callie's wit and Danny's tenacity were to be respected. Something Starscream had not expected to come from humans.

Mia on the other hand, was weak. Small and soft. She didn't have Callie's razor tongue or Danny's stubborn ability to see her through stressful situations.

Mia was the bait; something soft and juicy to lead predators into a trap and bait did not belong out on the field. Mia did not belong in the field, she was a liability and would get someone hurt at best. Killed at worse, and it would not matter how hard she was trying. That was the simple fact of it all.

He took a deep vent, calming himself and soothing his annoyance, again blaming Prime for the stupid plan of having Mia train with him. It should have been Jazz, or perhaps his trine that trained with Mia, not he. He took another deep vent, needing to be calm when dealing with Mia.

If he yelled at her, he would hurt her feelings and put them a day behind with trying to sooth her emotions. They didn't have time to deal with an emotionally hindered human.

"Mia," he began, wanting to move onto the next part of their training, thinking how he was going to bring this issue up with Prime and Lennox when the sound of jet engines reached his audials. Starscream froze, every piston and strut stilling as he strained to listen.

There it was again, not far but very distinctive. Jet engines, but moving faster and hitting pitches that human air crafts could never accomplish. His spark felt like someone was crushing it, and his optics went wide in fear for the briefest of moments.

"What is it?" the soft human voice asked from below.

The bright ruby optics blinked at the crystal clear, blue sky, spotting three small dark shapes in the distance.

"We need to go, now." He said coldly, calmly.

Mia's head tilted and her face was filled with confusion. "What?"

"Mia, get your bag now!" he suddenly screeched at her, his irritation flaring, edging into panic. "We're leaving."

She blinked up at him again before she moved, quickly shoving her equipment into her sac with no concern with how everything was shoved into it. Rope and food stuck in awkward angles and she struggled to zip the bag closed.

"Enough!" he hissed as he suddenly scooped her up before she had a chance to fully get her bag closed; he cupped her tiny frame in his much larger hand, kicking off from the ground, thrusters activating to get them into the sky. Panic and anxiety filled the red and white seeker, knowing he could not allow himself or Mia to be captured.

Mia made a small weak noise, curling around her bag, trying to hide from the winds that nearly blew her off Starscream's hand. Just as quickly, Starscream transformed around Mia, her hitting his seat hard as a seat belt strapped around her.

His thrusters flared and burned hard, Mia's bag falling to the floor, food and rope spilling out as her tiny finger nails dug into the seat. "W-what's chasing us?"

He pushed himself harder, going faster, his sensor net searching for the three incoming mechs he had spotted in the distance.

Cursing when he could not find them, Starscream shot upward, Mia pressing in harder into his chair with a surprised scream. When he hit cloud cover, laser fire peppered the belly of his alt mode, puncturing his armor to crack his energon tank and clipping a wing; he had barley gotten into the sky when gravity was already dragging him out of it.

Starscream cursed while Mia shrieked again, her voice high and afraid. Energon began leaking from the wound, thick and heavy. Desperately he tried to get his failing thrusts to fire, but he began to spin out of control, plummeting. Behind him, the cone-heads set up formation before opening fire. One flash of light caught the top of his canopy, the glass shattering in an array of tinted yellow. Mia's screech was cut off with a gasp as she struggled to breath, and light reflected off the shards that once made up his canopy.

More laser fire caught his wings full on, one of them tearing nearly off at the impact. Warning lights flashed and sirens echoed in his head as he lost all sense of altitude, where the ground was, the fact he had Mia screaming in his cockpit and panicked.

The fact he had been taken down by the bloody cone heads was not lost on the Decepticon, and Starscream cursed again. If they lived through this, they would never let him live this down.

Starscream had a brief moment of clarity, and felt Mia shake in his cockpit, could hear her gasp for breath as he lost altitude and knew the only thing Starscream could do for her was to get her out and have a gentle landing. He activated the seats ejection mechanism, wincing when he felt a shot of pain as she and the seat popped from his cockpit.

The red head managed to take a full gasp of air and let loose another shriek as the seat ejected, the parachute blooming open wide above her.

Transforming before he became disoriented again, Starscream's thrusters sputtered as they fought for life, yet he still managed to turn towards to the approaching seekers, mechs who were once under his command, mechs he had won and lost with, grieved with, shared victories with and opened fire.

As Starscream continued to fall, he couldn't find it in him to care about any of that. He thought about the tiny little fleshling and hoped she made it to the ground safely. He thought about the Prime and his kind optics, and of a time alone in his wash wrack.

He caught one wing of one of the cone heads, black smoke pluming up as he spiralled back into the earth. Starscream instantly aiming for the next cone head, not caring which one he hit when laser fire tore through his shoulder.

It sent him spiralling, tumbling from the sky, head over heels, the ground rushing up to him and he no longer had any sense of anything. His thrusters misfired as sky and ground swirled in his vision before pain exploded through his whole body. Dirt filled his mouth as his helm ricochet off the ground, his whole body tumbling helplessly along the ground. Dirt creating plumbs of dark color as he skidded to a halt.

For a long moment, Starscream didn't move, didn't dare as his systems tried to make sense of what had just happened. Warning after warning popped into his HUD, informing him which systems were damaged or destroyed, that he was losing energon rapidly from the crack in his tank.

He needed to move, that much he knew. The Cone Heads would be on him in seconds, and if he didn't get up, he was a dead mech. A captured mech, and the things Megatron would do to him would not be pleasant.

Groaning deeply, Starscream pushed himself up, feeling the energon pool from the wound in his side as he got his hands under his shoulders. His frame felt weak as he got his knees under him as well, and once he was up on all fours it was surprisingly easy to get his feet under him.

Still, he swayed and felt sick, feeling warm, sticky energon leak down his side. A shaking hand came up to press into the wound at his side and he looked desperately for Mia.

"Starscream." Came a familiar, angry voice at Starscream's back.

Crimson optics narrowed angrily and Starscream sneered. "Ramjet."

He turned to glower at his former subordinate, crying out in pain as heat blistered the paint from his chest plating. He fell back as the blaster's fire knocked him backwards and his chest plate cracked and the inside of his cock pit melted. His wings shuttered as he fell flat onto his back with a cry of pain.

Starscream saw stars and cursed under his breath. Taking a moment to gather his wits before Starscream managed scrambled to his pedes with a deep, rattling snarl, yanking his own blaster from subspace. Twisting around, blaster humming with power, Starscream was ready to open fire and mow down his former team mates when he froze.

His tank clenched with guilt and every piston froze, making his joints ache and his spark writhe. Mia had her hands clamped over her mouth, big green eyes wide with fear and sparkled with tears. She was still strapped to his seat, the cables that attached the parachute to the back were now tangled in Dirge's fingers so that Mia dangled like a spider at the end of her thread. Next to Dirge, Thrust, face blistered and broken from crashing into the earth, had his blaster pointed at Mia, the muzzle warm and far too close to her tiny body.

His dark optics flickered from Mia's terrified face to the smug ones of the Coneheads.

"Let her go." Starscream rasped angrily, blaster held surprisingly steady despite the fact that he was beginning to feel dizzy from the loss of energon.

Ramjet's smirk grew. "You don't get to order us around anymore Starscream." Behind him Dirge and Thrust chuckled, and the blaster heated up with energy.

Mia's green eyes squeezed shut and the first traitorous tear slipped down her cheek.

"You're not our commander anymore." Ramjet was smug. "I'm the aerial commander now."

It took everything in him not to snort, and he so badly wanted to. Out of any of the fliers that he had left behind, Ramjet was not the one Starscream would have picked to replace him as aerial commander. The Coneheads were not the brightest.

There is cruel intent in Ramjet's optics, the crimson light bright and almost crazed. "I can't believe you left _us_ , left Megatron, for this little brat!"

As if on cue Dirge lifted Mia higher, her small body bouncing with the force. She cried out, and Starscream moved as if to catch her, but stopped himself when Ramjet lifted his blaster a little higher.

"Ah, ah traitor! Not playing hero today, don't want anything to happen to your bag of meat do we?" Ramjet said, his tone light and happy. Like he looked forward to taking the human and seeing how far he could fling her. It was enough of a threat to keep Starscream rooted.

"Listen. Ramjet?"

"Hmmm?"

"Don't do this." He was too hurt to fight back, not against three, fully operational Seekers. "Megatron is losing his mind, it's only a matter of time before he turns on you too. Don't be fooled."

They all leered at him with matching smirks, Dirge even bouncing Mia again just to hear her small cry of panic. Starscream snarled, he had promised Prime he would keep the little human safe. Bait or not, no human would survive tangling with a Seeker.

"We thought you would say something like that _Screamer_." Dirge mocked as Mia bounced, her small body curling into as much a ball as possible. Her small body shook hard, the first small sob bubbling from her chest.

"You're going to pay Starscream, for everything you have done!" Thrust this time, offered the vague threat.

Anger flickered, his Starscream's spark burned with a sudden rage. He had paid enough, eons of being Megatron's punching bag. He deserved his happy ending!

His mouth opened, an angry retort on his lips when someone else landed behind him. Claws flared, Starscream spun around and his gyros revolted at the sudden movement. Still, he was ready to sink his claws into the new mechs belly.

The massive grey hand wrapped around his throat lifted him easily off his pedes so he was dangling midair. Bright, insane blood red optics stared up at him, a dark smirk directed up to the injured seeker.

From behind him, Mia gave another soft sob and Starscream gripped Megatron's wrist tightly. Dread filled his tank, mingling with his panic as Starscream kicked weakly at the solid grey plating.

"Hello Starscream." The titans smirk turned predatory. "I've been waiting for you to venture out of your orange castle and away from your _Prime._ Tell me Starscream, are you his favorite little whore now?"

The retort stung, but Starscream managed to smirk, his optics sparkling. "I am!" he affirmed brightly, happily. "And you could only _wish_ to be so well endowed as Prime!"

The smirk fell, and with a snarl, Megatron buried a fist into Starscream's belly, making the Seeker gasp and crumple when the warlord let him fall. Energon gushing from the crack in his side faster and thicker.

Crimson optics fell to Mia, and the delight returned. Bending down, one large hand wrapping around Starscream's head, Megatron hauled the seeker to his knees. Energon leaked down from one side of his mouth, and Starscream gasped for air. The wounds to his frame taking their toll and sucking away any energy Starscream once had.

"You're going to die screaming Starscream." Megatron smirked. "And your little friend is going to watch you break. Break and spill all the _Ark's_ secrets before you die. Then I will send her broken, little body back to the Prime. Just so they all know, you failed to save her. Like you fail at everything."

Just like that, Starscream was back to being Megatron's punching bag. Nothing but a failure, a thing to be bent to Megatron's will.

"Everything that I have done to you before now? Will be nothing compared to the horrors I have waiting for you back at home." Megatron sing-songed, squeezing Starscream's helm hard enough to crack the armour.

His tank dropped, and curdled. No one was coming for them, and it would be days before anyone would realise he and Mia would be missing.

Starscream's own crimson met Mia's terrified green and Starscream cursed.

"Your little friend will soon know the truth." Megatron whispered, his voice suddenly throaty and it made Starscream shiver in disgust. "Know that you are nothing but a little failure. _My_ little failure."

The Seeker tried to pull away, but Megatron held him firm. "Your little fleshling will learn that, and you will be reminded."

For the first time in months, for the first time since his trine had turned traitor and joined the Prime, Starscream was afraid, and he prayed for help.

But nobody came.


	4. First Encounter

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Thank you to all who read chapter three! Since Fan Fic does not allow proper tags, please be aware that this story will be getting darker, there will be Rape/non-con elements in it. Be aware that torture, robot gore and canon typical violence will be in this story. NOT all chapters will be posted on Fan Fiction due to their rules.

Full story is available at Archive of Our Own. (AO3) under the same pen name.

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Mia hadn't said a word when they were taken prisoner. Not when Dirge found her trapped and struggling in a tree, the cables to her parachute tangled in the branches. Not when she fought helplessly with the straps and panic filled her chest.

She hadn't said a word when Megatron showed up, even when fear bubbled in her gut and her instinct was to sob, she sucked back the tears and remained silent. Silent and small in the face of behemoths. Fear made her shake and shiver, but she never made a noise as she and Starscream were brought into _Nemesis_.

Even when Dirge had barrel rolled and Mia thought she would vomit, she hadn't said a word. She managed to swallow down the bile that rose in her throat, and didn't utter a noise. Even when she was threatened, and when Starscream was threatened, Mia clamped her teeth together. Her hands shook and her eyes filled with helpless tears, but Mia stayed silent.

"It's time to remind everyone!" Megatron roared to his Decepticons, some who cheered with him as he circled the dark room they had been brought into. "What happens to traitors!"

Starscream was glaring weakly from between Ramjet and Thrust, both of whom were smug as they propped him up. Hook had patched the crack in Starscream's side, only enough to keep him from bleeding out but not nearly enough to be prepared properly. Even a gentle hit would break the seals and send Starscream bleeding out again.

For a brief moment, Mia and Starscream's optics and eyes met and Mia felt dread fill her when she saw flat, red optics that were devoid of hope. No one knew they were here and no one would know they were missing for days.

Suddenly Dirge tossed Mia into the air, and she let lose a sheik of panic that had dark laughs echo from around the room before he caught her. She clung to the dark armour of Dirge's hand in hopes that if he threw her harder, just maybe she wouldn't again feel that sickening sense of weightlessness before she hit the ground.

Dirge laughed at her panic, and with a gentle toss Mia tumbled from his hand and onto the cold metal table in the center of the room. Her small body rolled and tumbled, but she come to a stop, unharmed in the center.

Mia quickly pushed herself up first to all fours then to her feet, her red hair falling in tangles in front of her face. Pale hands quickly pushed the thick locks from her face, white teeth biting at a plump lip as Starscream was forced into the center of the room.

He cast her one last, worried glance before his face smoothed into neutral bored and he focused on Megatron. Ramjet and Thrust shove him forward, and the Seekerstumbled, catching himself before his knees hit the ground.

Starscream straightened, shoulders back and damaged wings high. Looking every bit annoyed despite the rage he felt. The fear. His concern over Mia. He had eons of practice looking bored when everything in him screamed at him to run, to fly, to simply _get away_.

He had to look bored and detached if they had any hope of surviving this hell. That was at least one thing Starscream excelled at. Survival.

Dull red optics dimmed, looking uninterested as Megatron droned on in the passionate voice that had seduced so many of his followers. Had even seduced Starscream at one point in his life. Now to Starscream it sounded like the ramblings of a mad mech.

"Prime!" Megatron hissed lowly. "Thought that he could sway my Decepticons away from me. Just as he swayed those foolish Seekers!" Cheers met the titan's words, and Starscream grit it denta. "They too will land back here in _Nemesis_! I will have their spark chambers decorate my throne."

Circling the room, Megatron smirked down at Mia as he neared. Starscream saw large green eyes widen in fear and panic as she crumpled at gaze, freezing on the metal table when her knees hit the ground.

"Right next to the skulls of their human pets." The Decepticon war lord's voice softened to a mocking croon as he stared down at Mia.

Her bottom lip trembled, eyes glassy with tears that silently fell. Her fearful eyes focused on nothing but the terrifying warlord who stared intently down at her.

"Except!" Starscream's voice was high and loud, shattering the illusion Megatron tried to create. "To do that, you will need to get past the Prime." The Seeker's mouth pulled into a smirk. "And you're too much of a failure for that."

Megatron's attention was pulled away from Mia and back to Starscream, but that only seemed to make the human's eyes brighten with fear.

The other Decepticons slowly became quiet, some shifting in nervousness while others looked on with excitement. They knew of the beating that Starscream would get eventually, and they looked forward to it.

Two long strides took Megatron away from Mia and brought him nose to nose with Starscream. "I know what you're afraid of Starscream. Don't forget I know what makes you scream."

Starscream sneered. "I am not afraid of you." That was a lie, and they both knew it.

A massive silver hand gripped Starscream's face, claws puncturing the soft silicone that covered the Seeker's facial structure. "You're not? Then I will have to remind you why you should be."

Starscream felt his tank twist at the mocking words, but kept it from his face. He had faced Megatron's torture before, he could bare it once more.

Megatron released his face suddenly, the large, hot frame stepping away from Starscream and back to Mia.

"I suppose," Megatron began, looking over his shoulder to smirk at Starscream, "being Prime's new whore would give you a certain perspective. A false sense of security."

Once, being called a whore would have hurt Starscream, would have torn him up inside; but those days were long gone. There were worse things to fear then words.

Megatron circled the table Mia knelt trembling on so that he stood on the opposite side of it, facing Starscream to give him a clear line of site of Mia.

"But allow me to remind you Starscream, who is in charge here, and why you should be afraid for defying me."

Optics widening in horror, Starscream forgot how quickly Megatron could move when he chose to. How he was a pit fighter that relied on not only brute strength, but speed as well.

Mia only had time to cry out in panic before Megaton's fist slammed into the table with a sickening thud that cracked the table right where she had been curled. Blood red optics lifted with a smirk to gauge Starscream's reaction.

Crimson optics brightened momentarily and Starscream flinched towards the human and Megatron before he is able to control his reaction. The Seeker's tank dropped and dread twisted his spark as he waited for the dark red substance that was once Mia's life force to leak out from under Megatron's hand.

The bright light had been snuffed out, and Mia certainly didn't deserve to die in such a manner. She was innocent in all this, had only wanted to be his friend and grief filled Starscream so suddenly that he was caught by surprise by it. Mia, bright, innocent Mia was nothing but a bright memory. Another victim of Megatron's ever growing list.

Starscream tried to school his features, but couldn't stop the hitch in his systems or the way his shoulders listed slightly up to his helm. Already Megatron was smirking in triumph.

"Interesting." The war lord said softly, his optics sharp and calculating.

Starscream managed to keep the flat look on his face, optics narrowed and tried to appear disinterested and forced his shoulders back down to stand up straight. How was he going to tell Prime that his charge was dead? That he had failed. How would he tell her family? Would he even be given the chance to tell them? To reassure them that Mia had not suffered and her death had been quick?

"What?" Starscream snapped, trying to force down the feelings of grief. But the guilt that were already rising from his tank made his knees feel like jelly. Feelings so strong he could taste on the back of his glossa like something acidic. He would mourn the little human and carry her death as his fault, and already he was spiraling into blaming himself.

Megatron continued to smirk as he lifted his fist from the table, and Starscream braced himself for the smear that had once been Mia; determined to burn the image into his memory banks to add to his growing lists of failures. That it had been _his_ fault that Mia was dead, and such a kind, soft person was to be added to the tally of Megatron's murders.

Yet, as Megatron uncurled his fist, Mia was curled into a small ball on the table. Her head down and wrapped in her arms as she trembled. Now Starscream could hear the muffled sob as her chest heaved, and he only just managed to keep the relief from his face.

He still felt it deep in his frame, all the way to his protoform and it made his knees feel weak and his arms like jelly. He missed. Megatron missed killing her on purpose.

Hesitant crimson optics lifted to Megatron's smirking face as the war lord approached him, once again taking his face into his hand. "You reacted."

Starscream refused to respond, despite the dread that quickly replaced the relief. Mia was alive, but Megatron knew he cared about her.

"You thought I killed her, and you were _upset_ by that." Megatron's smirk became impossibly sharper. "You feared for her, and would have mourned her death."

A few of the other Decepticons chortled at that, like mourning the death of a friend was a weakness, and here it was a weakness to be exploited.

Crimson optics glanced over Megatron's shoulder to Mia, her tiny head finally poking up and her bright green eyes were wide with a blinding fear he had never seen in her.

"You care about her enough to be upset. That, my dear little Seeker, is a weakness." Starscream felt a chill go down his spinal struts and he again _hated_ how Megatron made him feel.

A grey fist slammed suddenly into his middle, knocking all the air from his body and dropping him to his knees. "And weaknesses makes you vulnerable. Weaknesses make you an easy target."

"Fuck you." Starscream suddenly wheezed out, crimson optics blazing with hate and determination. "Fuck you and everything you are Megatron."

Rage filled Megatron's optics and even before the heel of Megatron's pede slammed into Starscream's mouth, the seekerknew the words had been worth it.

Blood energon spewed from Starscream's mouth from the impact, knocking the Seekeronto his side. Megatron stood over him panting, rage bright in those blood red optics; Starscream lay limp on the ground, damaged mouth pressing into the back of his hand while he panted.

A smirk, sharp and dangerous curled around Starscream's mouth. "What?" he rasped, head still pressed down into the floor. "Did I hit a nerve Megatron?"

Rage darkened Megatron's face as Starscream forced himself onto his elbows, smirk still unwavering despite how small Starscream felt. How sick and afraid he was. "What? Get a little _testy_ when your followers are disillusioned by your utter madness?"

There were a few Decepticon's who shifted uneasily in the room, and from the shadows Starscream saw a large shadowy frame tense at his words.

Huh. So there were others who thought that.

A small sob made Starscream and Megatron look up to the table that Mia was curled up on and he knew that he needed to keep the attention on himself and away from Mia.

"Angered so easily when you are reminded what a _fool_ you are Megatron! And I, _Starscream,_ will be leader of the Decepti-"

His words were cut off by a bellow from Megatron and the titan turned on him once more, a heavy grey pede slamming into his middle. Pain erupted as once again the air was knocked from his vents and his vision swam.

Blow after blow rained down onto Starscream's belly, the weak patch Hook put into his side cracking and splintering. Blood energon pooled in Starscream's mouth, droplets of it pattering onto the floor with every blow from Megatron as he kicked the seeker. Starscream unable to put any sort of defense up, unable to get his arms between Megatron and the splintering patch, laying limp and taking every blow.

The attack ended just as quickly as it began, and both Starscream and Megatron were left panting. The seekerspat the rest of the energon from his mouth in a thick clot, trying to force his vision to clear. Thick black spots floated in his vision, making it hard to focus. Still, hands pressed flat to the ground as he tried to push himself up to meet Megatron's rage.

Starscream managed to smirk.

Growling, Megatron's face darkened. "You will give me what I want Starscream. Access codes, patrol routes, everything that makes the Autobot's weak."

Still smirking, Starscream shook his helm no. "Never."

Megatron's pede shifted and he crushed Starscream's fingers. "You will. You will beg me to give them to me. Then, after I have dragged your trine back here to face the same punishment, you will die. They will die." His hand swung out clumsily in Mia's direction. "Your human pet will die. And you will all die screaming."

The smirk fell, a glare taking its place and Starscream growled low in his throat. "Never."

Megatron smirked, his rage still shining through. "We shall see Starscream."

Turning, the grey Decepticon stepped off of Starscream's broken fingers to bark orders. "Onslaught! Take the human to the brig."

Starscream's head tilted, vision swimming, to see the massive Combaticon commander step forward from the shadows. Gold visor dim as he nodded. "Yes lord Megatron." He droned emotionlessly.

Something in Starscream mourned that tone, just one more victory Megatron had won. One more mech Megatron had utterly destroyed.

Megatron turned and strode from the room, Soundwave and Shockwave quickly coming to his sides. "Ramjet, you and your team can have him for an hour. Bring him to my quarters after your hour is up, and I expect him to be alive when he arrives there."

Starscream licked his denta and spat energon again as he glared at Megatron's retreating back. His uninjured hand pressed into his side at the weak patch and his tanks churned. There was only one reason Megatron would want him in his quarters, and Starscream just barley suppressed the shutter.

"Yes Megatron." Ramjet's dark voice chortled over Starscream.

Onslaught held is hand out to Mia, ignoring the Seeker's crimson optics as they shifted from where Megatron left to glare weakly at the commander.

Looking up at him with fearful glassy eyes, Mia didn't move and Onslaught heaved an exhausted sigh. He was getting too old for this.

His hands shifted, one coming to the edge of the table and the other landing with a thud being Mia, causing the human to gasp and flinch away from him. The massive hand slid easily across the surface of the table, sweeping Mia along with a startled cry and into his waiting hand.

On his palm he could feel her shake even as she curled into a small ball, but Onslaught couldn't find it in him to care. The commander felt disassociated with what was happening around him, and he couldn't afford to let anyone see how he felt. If Megatron found out, he and his team would be suffering right alongside Starscream.

The Seekerwatched him as he carried the human from the room, her trembling body still arching to see Starscream one last time. Again, their eyes and optics met and they mirrored the fear they both felt if only for a moment.

Thrust's fist slammed into the back of Starscream's helm with a sickening crack, slamming the seeker's face into the metal floor.

Starscream didn't utter a noise and the action went ignored by Onslaught as Vortex and Blast Off moved to flank their commander, distorting Mia's view of her seekerfriend. Mia cried out at the attack, quietly sobbing Starscream's name as she was carried from the room.

The little human curled weakly into Onslaught's palm as she sobbed softly, wishing that her sisters were with her. That Starscream was with her and not left behind to be beaten by the three cone heads.

Onslaught risked a glance down, but didn't dare comment or feel for the women. Or on Starscream for that matter, and he buried any thoughts on his former commander deeply and quietly plotted.

* * *

Danny stood next to Perceptor, a cheesy grin plastered across her face as she beamed at her younger sister.

"It'll be fun!" she reassured, brown eyes bright, glancing at her watch.

Aleyah snorted, eye brow raising as she watched Danny, who had always been a little off plumb, check her watch again. "Got some where to be?" she practically sneered at her red haired sister.

Danny's dark eyes slipped back up to her unamused face, and her grin got impossibly sweeter. "Just because I've made friends, doesn't mean you have to be a little bitch about it." Aleyah pulled a face with a huff.

"And I do need to be somewhere." Danny informed her, hands coming to her hips. "I'm having lunch with Prowl. I missed breakfast with him."

Aleyah's own eyes rolled and she shifted her weight from one hip to the other. "Why are you spending time with that wet blanket anyways?"

Aleyah knew she had hit a nerve when Danny's brown eyes flared with anger and her smile turned sharp. That was Aleyah's one jab at Prowl and she knew it. Another one would end with Danny's fist on the side of her mouth.

"I like him." She informed her sister firmly, the hint of hostility open for Aleyah to hear. "And I am going to go have lunch with him and make sure he's fueled."

Aleyah shrugged, giving her sister a sign that she had given in and Prowl was no longer a target. "Fine, whatever." The raven haired sister shrugged. "But I don't want to go shooting." She added bitterly, eyes that mirrored Danny's glanced up to a reluctant Perceptor.

"Why?" Danny demanded, cutting off the Autobot as he opened his mouth. "You're good at it, and we need people with skills."

Glaring at her sister, Aleyah sneered. "You know why."

Danny huffed. "And if I used that excuse, I would never have continued to fix cars. Just because dad taught you to shoot doesn't mean you get to stop just because he died."

Rage filled Aleyah and for a moment Perceptor feared the dark haired girl would take a swing at Danny and the red head must have thought the same as she shifted her stance back.

When Aleyah said nothing, Danny smirked. "Besides. You've been ordered to. Prowl said you are to work with Perceptor this afternoon in the range and if you refuse to, it'll be brig time."

Glaring at her sister's triumphant smirk, Aleyah spat. "Fine." Angry brown eyes lifted to meet Perceptor's soft blue optics. "Meet me down in the range."

Aleyah spun on the balls of her feel, shoulders hunched up by her ears, and Perceptor winced as she stomped away to the gun range.

"Well." Danny shrugged, drawing blue optics down to her. "That went about as well as expected."

Perceptor's shoulders slumped and he eased his tracking monocle out for polishing. "That went well?" he asked, his tone a little strained.

The red head nodded. "Yeah. Aleyah, we well…she's got a temper." Perceptor rose a brow at her before popping his monocle back into place.

"You don't say." He dead panned.

Danny snorted in amusement. "Yeah." Brown eyes tilted up to him and Danny offered a sly grin. "Just get her talking. She'll open up."

Perceptor heaved a sigh, and quickly cursed Prowl. "I am not…" he paused. "The most social Autobot. I think I may not be the wisest choice to train with Aleyah."

"But you're going to be way more patient." Danny gave him a sympathetic look. "And Prowl thinks you will be able to handle her mood."

"He does?" Perceptor didn't mean to let his surprise come though.

Danny's head bobbed. "Yeah. He said she can't be worse then the Wreckers were. But I dunno, Aleyah is pretty…angry."

Perceptor laughed. "That is one way of putting it."

"Mildly." Danny muttered under her breath.

"Why _is_ she so frustrated all the time?"

Something protective and dark flashed through Danny's brown eyes. For a moment Perceptor saw anger and blood lust there before it was gone just as quickly. Perceptor had an inkling there was something more there, something Danny was not telling him that made her jump to the killing threshold so readily. Like she was ready to defend her sister from anything she thought to be a threat.

"I'll let her tell you, if she wants to." Danny said simply, as though she had not just tasted bitter rage at the back of her tongue.

Perceptor nodded her on. "I should join her, and I know Prowl does not approve of tardiness."

Danny sighed and gave Perceptor one last look, her brown eyes tinged in pity. "Yeah, I should go. Good luck Perceptor."

The tall Autobot nodded, having a feeling he was going to need all the luck he could get with Aleyah.

* * *

Preceptor found Aleyah in what could only be called a sulk. She was sitting on the ground, a rifle propped over a shoulder and she _pouted._

A smirk flickered at the corner of Perceptor's mouth. He knew someone else who pouted like that when they didn't get their own way.

Perceptor eased himself onto the ground next to the human, looking out across the outdoor range; the wind was soft and warm in the desert.

He glanced down at the human with a small frown and quietly began setting up his rifle. Still in a lax, loose sitting position, Perceptor lifted the rifle and twisted. He took a vent and held it while his monocle focused on a target, and he closed his vents.

Aleyah seemed to notice him stilling, dark eyes glancing up at him with curiosity and he pulled the trigger. She didn't flinch as the rifle blasted and bright blue light filled the area and hit the target directly in the center of the bulls eye.

Perceptor cocked his rifle again, feeling the rifle warm with power and he took aim again. He pulled the trigger again and the flash of blue hit the exact same spot.

"Not bad." Aleyah said quietly and Perceptor lowered his rifle to lay it across his lap.

"Thank you." He said with his gentle voice, so at odds for a solider.

"Well." Aleyah continued, her voice angry and bitter. "I guess it's easy to hit a target when you can autotrack. It's not like it takes skill when you can calculate wind interference and trajectory in an instant."

Perceptor frowned at her, the little human turning back away from him with her knees drawn up and her arms wrapped around them. A hunched up little thing filled with rage and sadness.

Huffing a soft sigh, Perceptor shook his helm in almost amusement. Before, long before his stint with the Wreckors, a comment like that would have stung, but Perceptor was harder now.

He glanced back at the target with the perfect round hole in the center of it. "You are correct." He said with his slow words and gentle tone. "It is easy for me. Easier then most. But you will have an easier time then others as well, even over some Autobots and Decepticons."

Aleyah's head tilted up and she looked up at him with a frown.

"Just because I am Cybertronion does not make me a robot and does not mean I am good at everything. I have strengths and weaknesses, just like everyone else." He gave a little shrug, blue optics gazing down at her, not judging. "I was not a soldier when our war broke out and I had to _learn_ how to become one."

Aleyah gave a little squirm. "What were you then?"

Perceptor offered a smile. "A scientist."

Her little face scrunched up in confusion, her hands suddenly moving slowly as she prepped her own rifle, and Perceptor wondered if she even realized she was doing it.

"A scientists? How the hell did you become a solder then?" she asked, sounding more distained then confused. Then, just like he had, twisted and lifted her rifle; she held her breath and squeezed the trigger.

The rifle went off with a bang and a small hole blew through the center of the target.

Perceptor grinned at her. "Well done!" he praised, causing her to blush and look down with a shrug.

"Thanks." She muttered. "I'm rusty though."

A beat of silence passed between them, so Perceptor continued. "I was assigned to watch over a comrade named Kup who was trying out an experimental aid. I was…" he paused, remembering how he had his chest blown wide open. "Gravely injured during that mission. When I survived, I swore I would never be a victim again. That my friends would never have to put their lives on the line to protect me again. So, I created myself the tracker." His fingers gingerly brushed the monocle. "And I learned to shoot."

He gave her an awkward shrug. "I did not have many friends and I did not want to be the one to be a liability to the few I had. I didn't want to be the burden. Besides," he continued. "Shooting a rifle is nothing but math."

Aleyah blinked up at the Autobot, her stomach knotting and guilt suddenly swamped her unexpectedly. That had been the most honest anyone had ever been with her, and Perceptor didn't hide his pain to spare her the awkward social interaction. Or maybe he just realize that it was awkward.

 _Oh my god._ Aleyah thought to herself, brown eye blinking. _His a cinnamon roll that can kill you._

She snorted to herself, earning a confused frown from Perceptor which Aleyah quickly shrugged off. Her fingers readjusted around the grip of her rifle and she gave an awkward little shrug. "I didn't have many friends either." She said suddenly, words spilling from her quickly without her meaning to. "I was always getting beaten up and picked on for being a lesbian. In a small town, anything that made you different was a bad thing, ya know? No one wanted to be my friend in high school when some bitch outted me." Her eyes rolled with irritation and they flared with anger. "And the guys all either wanted to 'fix me' or wanted a three some."

A bitter jaw jutted forward and rage filled Aleyah's face. "It was bull shit. Danny was always beating up someone who made fun of me, that's when she taught me how to throw a punch. Mostly girls who thought I was sick and some of the guys too." She risked a glance up to the Autobot. "So to help get me into something else, dad took me to the range. Taught me to shoot. Got out some of my aggression."

Perceptor frowned, but quickly masked the feelings that Aleyah's words brought forth. It was not pity, someone like her would not tolerate pity, but an empathy for another spark that had suffered so at the hands of others. A dark hand rubbed at the glass of Perceptor's chest and he briefly remembered the pain of being shot and the hurt of being left behind. Kup may have said it was not intentional, but it hurt none the less.

"Self-preservation, regardless of how it is found, is very important. Once must find some way to cope with the events of one's past, otherwise we will be destroyed by it." Perceptor told her quietly.

The dark haired girl snorted. "I think you would have liked my dad." She said suddenly. "He used to say something similar. Even when he was dying, he never let his past bother him."

She suddenly moved with practice ease of someone who had been around weapons for a very long time, Aleyah lifted her rifle, aimed and squeezed the trigger again. She hit her mark, slightly higher then her first shot, but still remarkably close.

"Impressive." Perceptor noted.

Aleyah snorted at the shot. "I'm out of practice. I used to be able to do what you did and hit dead on."

"Still better then the majority of humans and what their skill level is."

Giving a small shrug, Aleyah didn't seem too impressed. "I can do better."

"Then perhaps we can come out again sometime?"

A small hesitant smirk played on Aleyah's lips, one that mirrored what he had seen from Danny but not nearly as sharp. "Sure. We can come back tomorrow."

The grin that Perceptor gave her was soft, far softer then any other Autobot Aleyah had seen from. "I would enjoy that. However, you are not trying to…what is that word humans use? Bail? Bail on me now?"

Aleyah laughed, true and happy. "Nah. Just want to ensure our plans are set."

Perceptor nodded, his spark feeling oddly light. "I have not had many friends to make plans with." He stated, easing his rifle back up.

"Maybe that's why we clicked so easily? We're both different."

Perceptor frowned at that. "I don't think we are all that different. You may be attracted to the female gender of your species, but that does not make you any less important then anyone else. It certainly doesn't make you any less human."

Aleyah frowned and took another shot, better then the three before. "Well, most of the world doesn't think that."

There was so much bitterness in her tone, so much hurt and raw anger that it made Perceptor frown and take pause.

"You know." He said slowly. "There is only so much an oppressed group of citizens can and will take before it becomes too much. Before it reaches a boiling point, and conflict is the result. War comes not long after that."

Aleyah slowly put her rifle down to give Perceptor her full attention.

"That is what happened to my species. However, I do believe in what Optimus Prime says. Life is the right of all sentient beings. Those are not just some pretty words he uses to sooth the troops. He believes them, and so do I."

Aleyah looked down, bitter and angry. "Even for someone like me?"

Perceptor would like to find those responsible for crushing Aleyah like this. Those who had put that hurt and anger into her, those who had made her believe that she was not worthy of freedom and a life.

"Aleyah." She looked back up at him, dark eyes bitter and hard. Her jaw set firmly and she braced herself for his rejection. Perceptor wondered how many 'friends' had been where he was now only to turn her trust against her. How many had made her feel worthless and alone? Having a supportive family was great for her, but to have no friends could be crushing.

Perceptor knew that one from experience too.

"Especially someone like you."

The bitterness turned to shock for a moment, then to confusion before a sort of happy bashfulness set it. Simple words like this would not be enough to fix everything and heal all wounds, but it was a first step.

"Thanks Perceptor."

The Autobot smiled back down at her. "You are most welcome."

Perceptor felt that click of connection, a kindred spirit. A friend.

 _Ah._ He thought to himself with joy. _Drift will adore her if he makes it to Earth._

Any thoughts of Drift were pushed form his mind and he repositioned his rifle. "Let us see what else we can do with these."

Aleyah smirked playful, a cheeriness that was not there moments before. A relaxation. "Bet I can hit more bull's eyes then you."

Perceptor chuckled. "You are on."

* * *

Starscream was barely conscious when he was dumped unceremoniously onto the dirty floor of the brig. He hit the ground with a thud and a groan, thick energon leaking from the crack in his side. He panted into the ground, shifting in pain as his wings trembled behind him.

Red optics were pale with pain and blood loss, blinked online, one optic cracked from a blow from Ramjet. Starscream coughed, the taste of energon on his lips as he cleared a clot from his intake.

Behind him, it was Ramjet who laughed.

"You know." His low voice rumbled above him, and Starscream didn't acknowledge him. Dull optics were searching out Mia immediately. "When you left, everyone was up in arms about it. Everyone was _so_ distraught about it."

Starscream found her hiding in the darkest corner of the cell, he could barely make out her bright green eyes against her pale skin. Relief swept through him, and he huffed a sigh that brought energon to the back of his throat.

Mia was unharmed. _Thank Primus._

"I'm glad you left. Things have been so much better without you. The things that Megatron lets us do now." A dark smirk flickered across his mouth. "Should have always been this way. You'll see. Soon enough Starscream. You're gonna regret leaving."

Despite himself, Starscream managed a broken laugh as he pushed himself up onto his hands, his mangled fingers pulsing pain from one of them.

"I never knew what a jealous slagger you are Ramjet. Couldn't wait to take my place and lick Megatron's heels, could you?"

Darkness clouded Ramjets face as he scowled at the injured Seeker. The door to the brig slammed shut without another word, a small blessing that Starscream would take.

The tri-coloured seeker heaved a soft sigh and allowed himself to sink into the floor. Pain radiated from his tank and his wings and his hand. He had feared what Megatron would do to him when he was dragged into his quarters; but the beating had been sub-part to what Starscream had been expecting.

Which meant that whatever Megatron had planned for him would be that much worse.

A low groan slipped past his split lips as Starscream shifted, coming to lay on his side. The ground was hard and cold, and he grumbled with irritation as he tried to get comfortable.

"Starscream?" Mia's voice was small and soft, fear so thick Starscream could practically taste it.

The seeker huffed an annoyed sigh, his optics still slipped off line. "I'm okay." He lied.

Mia rung her hands together tightly, knuckles white with how tight she clung on, her face pale and sweaty. She inched closer to Starscream, she paused again, hesitating before she knelt next to Starscream.

"Are you sure? Can I…I dunno, help?" her voice was timid, and Starscream couldn't bring himself to be angry at her smallness.

"No." he ground out, optics still off lined. He needed to recharge, he needed to be on his game if he was going to deal with the mind games from Megatron. "Listen, you keep quiet tomorrow. Keep your head down, you'll be okay."

Mia leaned against his cheek, settling in with a small sob. "Okay." She all but whispered.

"I'll keep you safe, just keep your mouth shut and don't draw attention to yourself." He tried to sound angry, but exhaustion ate away at him.

"I won't Starscream." There was a pause. "Thanks."

The silence felt thick and awkward.

"There was this one time," Mia suddenly said to break the awful awkwardness between them. "When I was like nineteen or something, and I wanted to go to a party with Danny and Callie." Her voice was smooth, surprisingly calm despite the stress in her voice.

His optics blinked online to watch her with curiosity, finding himself calming at her story.

"Danny wouldn't let me come. It was for car thieves only, or something and I wasn't allowed to go. So, I stole my first car so I could be cool enough to go." She gave a bitter little laugh. "I was so proud of myself. I did something for me, for once. And it was this, sporty little red car that belonged to some multimillionaire jerk who thought I had a nice butt. Didn't even notice when I nicked the keys right from his pocket." Mia gave him a small little smile, and Starscream found himself inexplicitly smirking back. "Callie was so mad, but Danny, she laughed and I got to hang out with out with all the cool kids for a night."

She gave a watery laugh and curled up tighter against Starscream. "What we do to be cool right?"

Starscream snorted, arm coming up to curl around Mia. "I was never the cool kid."

Mia laughed, but the noise sounded hallow. A mockery of the joy that came from Mia when she truly laughed. "How could you not be the cool kid? You're smart and brave."

Awkwardness filled Starscream's spark, and he choked back a chuckle. "Get some sleep brat. We're going to need the rest."

Her head bobbed in a nod, red hair bouncing around her head and she offered a small smile. She made herself as comfortable as possible on the cold, hard ground of the brig and tried to sleep.

Starscream sighed softly, and tried to follow into recharge.

Neither slept well, fearing when the next time the brig door would be opened.

* * *

I was pretty nervous too add in about Aleyah's sexuality when I first wrote this chapter, but felt it was an important bit of information to add. She is just as capable as the rest of her family, and does not hide the fact that she is gay. Seeing as this is the first time Aleyah has interacted with any of the other characters I thought this would be a good starting point for the reader to get to know her.

Anyways, I hope you've all enjoyed the chapter!


	5. Taste of Revenge

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed!

To my Fan Fiction readers, please note that chapter 4 WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER I post here. I may post teasers but the other chapters will be too dark to adhere to fan fications rules. If you would like to read the rest of the story in full, please head over to Archive of Our Own under the same pen name.

If you are looking for a pass to join Archive of Our Own, send me a message and I may be able to give you one.

Thank you everyone!

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Perceptor frowned down at Aleyah as she set up her rifle. They were on the much larger out door range and Perceptor wanted to see what she could remember about shooting further away and at a much smaller target. Once he had an idea of her basic skills he could help guild her and improve those skills for battle.

Unlike yesterday, Aleyah seemed distracted as she fiddled with the rifle in her hands. Her dark eyes distant and narrowed, and she was practically gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Aleyah?" Perceptor finally asked as he sat down across from her, his own rifle safely leaning over his shoulder. Her head tipped up to him. "Are you alright?"

"What? Oh…yeah." She sounded hesitant and Perceptor was unconvinced.

Perceptor glanced down to the other end of the range and back to his new pupil. "Aleyah, if we are to be friends, you can speak to me about what is bothering you."

She paused, fingers tapping on the side of the barrel and she finally huffed a sigh. Dark eyes looked back up to Perceptor. "Liz has been upset since the whole blow out with Red Alert." She finally said. "She… Liz has a hard time making friends. She's not very…" she struggled for the right word, and Perceptor patiently waited for her to find that one she sought.

"She's a little like you actually. She has a hard time in social setting and doesn't always know what to say to people. So she has few friends and this blow out with Red has really hurt her feelings. She feels terrible for upsetting Red, but she genuinely thought she was helping."

As Aleyah huffed angrily, Perceptor nodded and something again lightened in his chest. Aleyah was actually talking to him about something that bothered her, something he had not seen from her towards anyone else, not even her sisters.

The first thread of trust unspooling from his spark and Perceptor had to fight the smile. He did not want Aleyah to misread his grin as something it was not.

Stretching out onto his belly, Aleyah following suit, Perceptor's voice was soft and confident. "You are upset that your youngest sister feels as though she has lost her friend due to a misunderstanding." He took aim and squeezed the trigger. His rifle, larger than the one he used prior to this training session, jerked against his shoulder and hit the bull's eye.

"Well, yeah. Liz has always been the smallest and well the…well the weakest of us. She doesn't have many friends and she cherishes the ones she does have." Aleyah sighed just before she took a breath and took aim. Her bullet punched a small hole in the center of her target.

"A trait that seems to have been instilled in all of you." Perceptor commented. "Wonderful shot as well. See if you can do it again."

Aleyah blushed and nodded. "Yeah, dad always said to take care of your friends. True friends are far and few between and we should always take care of them."

She took aim again and a new hole was punched just slightly to the left.

"I would not worry too much about Red Alert. Knowing him, now that he has had a moment to calm down and realize that Liz meant no harm and that her intentions were pure he will come around. He is stubborn in the extreme, but I believe that given enough time he will get over his anger. Give it a month, and I am willing to bet that he will be doing to Liz what she did to him."

Aleyah looked over at him, eye brow quirked as he took aim and squeezed the trigger. "You think so?"

"I do. Now, do you see those playing cards that I have had set up at the far end of the range?"

Aleyah looked into the scope of her rifle and nodded. "I do."

"Good, I want you to try to hit the middle of each of those cards. There are all fifty-two out there, try to hit each one as best as you can."

Aleyah nodded and took aim again. "I just don't like to see Liz so upset." She said again as her bullet punched a hole into the top of the two of hearts. Aleyah cursed as the hit was too high.

"Focus." Perceptor gentled. "If Red Alert does not come around however, I will try and speak with Inferno. If anyone can talk some sense into our Security Director, it is him."

Aleyah smiled up at him before turning her attention back to the cards. She took a breath and hit the three of hearts dead in the middle. Pride swelled in Perceptor for her accomplishment and Aleyah grinned up at him. "Well done." He praised again.

A little smug, Aleyah looked back into her scope and Perceptor quietly added. "And Blurr and Hound seem to be kind to Liz. Hound especially appears to be her friend and Blurr is working on becoming just that."

A new hole was punched, yet again, in the center of the four of hearts. "I wasn't sure about Blurr at first. He seemed like a shallow, bratty frat boy." The five of hearts quickly followed that of the four.

Perceptor chuckled. "Oh, he can be a shallow, bratty frat boy. However, Blurr has a kind spark and a resolve of steel. Once he has decided that you are _his_ friend, he is terrifyingly protective. Liz is in good hands and I suspect that Blurr will spoil her rotten."

Aleyah laughed again, the six of hearts suffering the same fate as five and the seven not long after that. "Good, Liz needs some good friends and stability in her life. Hound and Blurr will be good for her."

The eight of hearts was a near miss, the shot going wide as the wind took it and only the corner was clipped. Aleyah cursed and resettled into the ground.

"Focus." Perceptor said again. "When the wind changes like that, don't forget to adjust."

"I'm trying." Aleyah snapped, frustration suddenly welling and catching Perceptor off guard. He studied her for a moment, helm tilting as he took in her suddenly tense frame. She was quick to frustration, especially when she did something wrong, he realized but she calmed when they were just talking. She did better when she was _not_ focusing solely on the cards she was trying to shoot and to do so perfectly every time.

Head tilting to the side, Perceptor regarded Aleyah and her tense form, light blue optics flickering in thought as she missed the nine of hearts completely.

"You know," Perceptor started as Aleyah cursed under her breath and realigned her shot for the nine. "My mate, he ahh… was once quick to anger." Aleyah's small head swiveled in his direction, dark eyes wide at his words.

"You have a boyfriend!" she said in a rush, glancing back at the cards before looking back at him. Her frame suddenly relaxed and loose.

Perceptor nodded. "Mhmm, I do. My species calls them mates, but yes. Ah… boyfriend would be a fair term for him."

Aleyah made a high pitched noise, one that confused Perceptor but he thought it meant she was excited. "What's his name? What's he like?" she asked as she lined up for the nine again. Her shot took it through the centre.

Perceptor couldn't suppress his smirk.

"His name is Drift. He is…" Perceptor paused, thinking of all the words one could use to describe his mate. "Drift is complicated." He said as the ten of hearts was shot through.

"Oh? How so?" the eleven and twelve were taken as well, Aleyah focused on Perceptor and not the task at hand.

"Well. He was a Decepticon that, after a traumatic experience, switched sides."

Aleyah looked back up at him, eye brows high with shock. "He _switched_ sides! Like, before Starscream?"

Perceptor nodded as the jack's top left corner disappeared. "He did. I would rather you hear about his defect from myself, and not the likes of Cliffjumper."

Aleyah snorted. "'Jumper is a jerk." She shrugged. "What about Drift? What else?"

Perceptor smiled down at her. "Drift." His name rolled off his glossa easily. "Is brave and determined. Wants to do make amends. He has calmed over the last few…years." He informed her.

Aleyah smirked as the queen was taken as well. "You love him." She said, and he could hear the smirk in her voice.

Nodding, Perceptor felt his face heat. "I do."

"Then where is he?"

The smile from Perceptor's face fell, and Aleyah felt her stomach drop.

' _Idiot!'_ she thought to herself, realizing the harsh question was not appropriate to ask a Cybertrionion when they were in the middle of a war. "Sorry." She muttered as she ducked her head. "You…you don't need to answer that."

There was a sudden palatable awkwardness that filled the space between them, and Aleyah huffed an awkward sigh. This is why she couldn't keep friends.

"I was assigned to the Prime's mission to Earth" Perceptor said softly. "Springer, the Wreckers commander, requested to take a small group to infiltrate a Decepticon prison to search for his mentor, Kup. Due to Drift's skills, Springer requested Drift to accompany the other Wreckers in the mission."

Light blue optics glanced down sadly. "Drift and Springer were not friends, but Kup took Drift in under his wing." A wiry smile. "Kup was known to take strays, and Drift felt he owned it to Kup to at least try and find him." Perceptor sighed. "They should have been here by now." He left it at that.

He did not mention that he feared for the worse, or the recharge-less nights that he spent worrying about Drift and if he was ever coming home. He didn't tell her about the nights he worked himself to exhaustion just so he didn't think about the what if's and unknowns. He didn't tell Aleyah that he was afraid that Drift was somewhere lost and hurt, hoping that Perceptor would come and rescue him, only to never _be_ rescued.

He pushed those depressing thoughts away and gave her a small smile. "What about you? Do you have a mate…uhh. Girlfriend?"

If at all possible, Aleyah's eyes turned sad and she looked down. "Ummm no. Not in a long while. I had a girlfriend before we moved into this state, and I thought I may have…well. Her family got wind that we were dating and did some half legal bull shit to gain control of her assets."

Rage blazed in Aleyah's eyes that caused Perceptor to frown. "Her family…they sent her away to be 'fixed'."

Perceptor's gaze narrowed. "Was she ill? What did she need fixed?"

Aleyah sneered, but still lowered her head to try to wipe away at her eyes. "I ah…I don't like to talk about it." She said roughly, gaze still averted. "I never did see her again."

The mix of anger and sadness in her voice filled Perceptor with his own mix of emotions and he suddenly felt out of depth. He had no idea what to do or say to something like that, had no idea what the right thing to say was.

Perhaps, there was no right thing.

"I'm sorry Aleyah." He said softly, and her small dark head bobbed in a nod but she still would not look at him.

He chewed on his inner cheek as his tank churned. "You know." He said suddenly, knowing this would not fix a damn thing. "I heard the kitchen just got rocky-roll, double fudge ice cream."

Aleyah, despite herself, laughed. It was shrill and watery, but at least she glanced up at him with liquid eyes. "Well, I happen to love rocky-roll, double fudge ice cream."

Perceptor nodded. "Most excellent. Let us clean up here and we can go raid the kitchen."

Her smile was a litter brighter, a little less watery.

"Hey Preceptor?" he glanced down at her, optics open as she gave him a smile. "Thanks."

* * *

Despite the pain from his injuries, the leak in his side from where his cracked tanks _still_ oozed, Starscream managed not to stumble as he was shoved down the hall way towards Nemesis's mess hall. His shoulders were high and stiff, he managed to hike his wings up high despite his fear and he managed to smirk. He refused to let on to his pain or fear or exhaustion, all that ate away at his fragile shield of confidence.

His optics were dull and full of pain, but he still refused to falter in the face of Megatron's wrath.

He refused to allow anyone to see a moment of weakness, and refused to look back at Onslaught as he carried Mia. He had tried to comfort her during their broken sleep and rest, tried to coach her through what the next day would bring.

Even know he could hear her soft sniffling as she tried desperately to get herself under control. She must look incredibly small in Onslaught's well armored hand, curled into a tight ball with dark circles under her eyes and pale skin.

He fought the urge to look back and check on her as Ramjet shoved Starscream forward and into the mess hall that was full of refueling Decepticons, all chattering loudly. The chattered died down the moment Starscream was shoved inside, his narrowed crimson optics took in his old crew, his purple Decepticon insignia bright on his chest, defiant with it still.

Taking in the room, crimson optics scanned it, never looking at any one Decepticon for longer then a moment. He took in Acidstorm and Sunstorm with their heads together and whispering, their own optics pale with distress and lack of recharge.

Once he would have felt responsible for them. Once he would have worried over their pale optics and the distress on their faces. He now had to worry about Mia and her squishy, fragile frame and himself. There simply wasn't enough room in his spark to worry for more.

Moving on, Starscream smirked at Megatron as he sprawled out in his seat like it was his throne, Soundwave ever silent and loyal by his side. Red and blue plates shivered when Starscream saw Shockwave on his other side, and Starscream was certain that if the fragger could have smirked, Shockwave would have.

"Glad you could join us Starscream." Megatron drawled as Ramjet chuckled and shoved Starscream down into the seat across from them.

All optics remained on them, and his optics flickered to Onslaught and Mia. She was curled into a tiny ball, as he expected her to be, with her hands clamped to her mouth and her green eyes wide with panic and fear. She looked tiny sitting in Onslaught's massive hand. Smaller even then a sparkling, but no less helpless in the face of monsters.

Looking back quickly to Megatron before the warlord noticed that he was checking in on Mia, Starscream knew it would not due to be caught caring again. Megatron's wide smirk told him that he had been caught, and Starscream silently bit his glossa hard enough to taste blood energon.

"Oh. Quiet today are we? Don't worry about your pet. She's only here to..." he paused, his voice low and dangerous. "Witness."

Optics narrowed, Starscream smirked despite himself. Despite his fear, despite his _instinct_ to run. "Witness what? Your depravity? Your weakness?"

Megatron's smirk fell, and pain erupted from the side of Starscream's face as Megatron sucker punched him in the helm. He felt the thick armour of his helm dent at the blow, and Starscream laughed despite himself. "Pathetic." He spat even as his vision swam, and panic threaten to tighten his throat.

Megatron sneered and moved to stand, his hand poised to strike again, and for a moment Starscream felt the thrill of victory. He had gotten a rise out of Megatron and that would give him one above him despite the beating.

He refused to look back at Mia again, despite the muffled shriek she let out when he was struck. From the corner of his optic he could see her being very still and her hand clamped firmly over her mouth to stop her from making a noise. She was following all of his rules; stay low and quiet, don't make a noise and don't make a target out of yourself. Starscream smirked, he counted that as a win as well.

A purple hand caught his leaders elbow, and Shockwave's helm tilted. "My Lord." His voice was even and calm. "Perhaps there is another way. We had discussed this."

Starscream frowned, optics narrowed in suspicion as Megatron slowly sat back down without lashing out at him. The hate on his former leaders face morphed into one of pure bliss. "Of course." He leaned back and made himself comfortable and Starscream did not miss the discomforted movement that Soundwave made to inch away. Trying to put distance between Megatron and himself.

Interesting.

Taking a glass of energon, Megatron nodded. "Go ahead Shockwave, I want to watch."

The purple mech nodded. "With pleasure my Lord." Gracefully Shockwave stood and disappeared from his line of sight.

"Onslaught." Megatron smirked, and the Combaticon leader felt himself tense, the armour protecting his massive frame plastering flat against his body. Mia had felt him stiffen, and knew a sign of fear in a Cybertronion when she saw it, when she felt it. She turned frightened green eyes up to the Combaticon in confusion, and they softened a little before Megatron continued and the fear returned. "Bring the human here, right here. I want her to witness everything." Those blood red optics turned to look at Mia, his smile sharp and cruel. "And know that this is all her fault."

Mia's green eyes widened as they started at him and her head shook no. No, this was not her fault. This was Megatron's.

"After all, if Starscream hadn't been protecting you, he wouldn't be here. _She_ wouldn't be here. "

"Enough!" Starscream spat as Onslaught came to stand next to Megatron, the Combaticon stiff and still. The lines of his body screaming out his discomfort, and standing far enough away to not be an immediate target to Megatron's wrath.

The smirk played across Megatron's mouth. "Oh, don't worry Starscream. Today is your turn, tomorrow she'll visit with Vortex."

Starscream froze at that, optics paling before brightening with rage. "Don't you fracking-"Starscream was cut off when a purple hand grasped his shoulder and pulled him back hard against the chair and Shockwave shoved a hose into his pectoral vent. Another set of hands gripped Starscream on the other side and held him hard against the chair. Panic burst through him, bubbling up hot in his chest and he struggled the moment that hands held him against the chair.

The hose broke through the vent slates and into one of his main vents that fed oxygen into his engine, but Starscream didn't have the chance to feel the pain when the icy water began to be pumped into his vents. He couldn't take in the laughter by some of the others in the room, nor Mia's strangled scream. He couldn't see the way Onslaughts visor dimmed, still on but his optics likely turned away or off line as he refused to watch.

The only thing Starscream could focus on was the fact that salty, cold water was filling his vents _and he could not take a vent!_

Thrashing back against his chair, Starscream tried to shake Shockwave's grasp, but the scientist held him tightly, calmly as though he were not drowning Starscream. More water was pumped into his vents and his chest _burned_ and it burned all the way down to his tanks. It was cold and wet and it sunk between his plating with a slosh. He swore he could feel his internals frying.

He coughed and water shot from his mouth and splattered across the table. Megatron laughed and Soundwave inched as far back as possible into his seat, shying away from the violence. Water began to flow as a steady trickle from the corners of his mouth.

He coughed again, and could feel the water that filled his vents, the water that seeped into places that water had no need to be. He could feel his optics flicker and internal wiring sparked as water seeped inside.

He struggled harder and kicked out, trying desperately to dislodge the hose that pumped that Primus awful, salty water into his vents. His thrusters fired in some desperate hope to push himself back and struggle out of Shockwave's hold. He became hyper aware of everything around him suddenly as he tried to gasp, to drag air into his chest and he focused on the smallest of details;

He could smell the burning of the floor as he expended his precious energy on firing hit thrusters.

He could hear Mia's muffled sobs as she cried into her hands.

He could hear the creaking of Onslaught's joints as he held himself impossibly still.

He could hear Megatron laughing at his pain and distress.

Water bubbled and spewed from his lips, it was caught in his denta like something thick and toxic.

His insides burned and his vision swam as his starved systems began to shut down and over heat. Little black dots filled his vision and he fought to stay conscious. The last thing he saw was Mia's sobbing form before everything went black and Starscream blacked out.

* * *

Onslaught carried the small human through the halls of Nemesis as quietly as he had observed Starscream's punishment. The Seeker had survived the water treatment, Megatron growing board once Starscream had slipped into stasis and had ordered Shockwave to stop. It was too early to kill Starscream, Megatron wanted him to _suffer_ in full.

Blast Off walked silently behind his commander, dragging the Seeker behind him by one of his wings. Even now Starscream's vents crackled and wheezed, water still trickling from the corners of his mouth and Onslaught knew that it would take weeks for his systems to fully dry out completely.

His optics were dark and his jaw slack, and Mia wouldn't stop looking at his limp frame. "Why is there water still coming from his mouth?" she would whisper brokenly to herself. "There's still water coming from his mouth. When will it stop?"

Glancing behind him Onslaught saw that Starscream's jaw was still ajar and he still coughed water up. It was also leaking from the seams in his chest and from the hole in his vents.

"His systems are trying to dispel the water." He said lowly, voice gravelly.

The human turned her tiny face up to him, her wide green optics…no, humans have eyes, up to him. Her face was wet and splotchy with redness. "Will that take long?"

Her voice was still broken and soft, and Onslaught disliked her weakness immediately. So at first he refused to respond, simply kept his optics forward and stayed the course. Blast Off quietly behind him, the only sound as they made their way to the bridge was the sound of Starscream's limp frame being dragged along the ground.

The tiny face tipped down when he didn't say anything to her, her bright red hair covering her face as she curled into a tight ball. She pressed her face into her knees and quietly sobbed.

"Yes." He said eventually. "It is going to take a long time."

Her face tipped up, and wetness stained her face. She sniffed wetly, gross little thing, and wiped her face with her dirty sleeve. "Thanks." She muttered and Onslaught rolled his optics.

He said nothing more to her as they reached Starscream's cell, the Seeker was dumped inside roughly, Blast Off trying to be gentle without looking like he was.

Stepping back, the shuttle gave him an expected look. Lowering the human to the ground, Onslaught's voice was gravelly. "I have _shift_ next. Go fuel and rest." Mia pushed herself from the Comabticon's hand and turned to look sadly up at him. As far as Decepticon's go, Onslaught wasn't a compete ass hole.

She gave him a watery look that was ignored as he stood. " ** _I have a feeling you are going to need your rest._** " He muttered into their gestalt bond.

Blast Off's hand twitched, and he gave a little nod. " ** _Be careful. We were almost caught last time._** "

Onslaught nodded, catching the human dropping to her knees next to Starscream, wising him to wake up from the corner of his hidden optic. The door shut them both into darkness, and he was surprised to _not_ hear her sobs. Just…some broken, off key singing.

Weird little creature.

Shaking his helm Onslaught sighed. He felt tired and worn out. He was ready to leave Nemesis and return to base, but Megatron wanted Vortex to interrogate the human.

Like that was going to turn out well.

He turned a corner, giving a small nod to Blast Off as the shuttle returned to the mess hall for fuel. Onslaught paused to watch the massive shuttle go as they parted ways before huffing a sigh and making his way to his quarters.

Hesitating when he got there, Onslaught tried not to look suspicious when he looked around the hall. He did not live here, and he preferred it that way. Combaticon HQ was far from here, in the sun on some Northern land and not beneath the stupid ocean surrounded by mech's who hated them. The other Decepticons, they did hate them, most of them anyways. Helm shaking, Onslaught slipped inside, his quarters dark in the single berth room. He brought the lights up only slightly, and found Vortex on his side on his berth.

The copter made a small noise as he pushed himself up with one hand, rubbing his bare face. "What time is it?" he muttered thickly, optics dim with exhaustion.

"Early morning." Onslaught muttered as he eased himself down onto his berth. "How did he do?" he asked looking down at the tiny, weeks old sparkling that lay in recharge near the wall of his berth.

Vortex looked back at his sparkling and smirked. "Took it like a champ. Hook's happy with his development. Scrapper was on duty, so we didn't even have to screw with the cameras. Got him into med bay while Megatron was toying with Starscream."

Onslaught nodded, watching as the sparkling yawned and his dim red optics blinked on. He gave a little peep before slipping back into recharge. "Hook said it would be normal for sparkling's to be tired after their first upgrades." The crimson optics blinked and Vortex fought to focus on the important bits of information that Hook had given him.

Onslaught waited for him patiently to get it all, content to watch Ace recharge peacefully even when away from HQ.

"Said we should let him recharge as much as he wants to for the next two cycles."

Onslaught nodded. "Any health concerns?"

"None." Vortex smirked with a shrug. "I make healthy sparklings."

"Good. A sick sparkling is harder to hide." Onslaught huffed a sigh, his fingertips brushing at Ace's black back.

"I hate having him here." Vortex whispered, almost as though afraid to be caught, afraid someone would hear if they spoke too loud. Onslaught hummed in agreement, each time they had to bring Ace into Nemesis it was a chance at him being caught.

Vortex's smirk fell and he squirmed and looked way. Onslaught knew what came next.

"You need more rest." The Commander groused, still watching Ace rest. "Megatron wants you to interrogate the human tomorrow."

Vortex frowned and looked back up at him. "What? Why?" the loyalty program tinged uncomfortably at questioning their leader's decisions.

"Most likely, to hurt Starscream. But it's a trap." Gold optics hidden behind a visor came up to confused crimson. "If you kill her, you will be punished for failing."

The frown deepened. "But if I do nothing, I fail." Onslaught nodded, finger tips still brushing the sparkling's back. "Great." Vortex muttered.

Onslaught nodded. "Megatron knows that we…owe Starscream our freedom." Vortex snorted at that, but Onslaught ignored him. "He knows there is at least some kind of familiarity. He's using us to hurt Starscream."

Vortex looked down to his sparkling. "It always comes back to how to hurt Starscream, doesn't?" he sounded angry and bitter. Onslaught shrugged, so Vortex continued irritably. "How many missions had we lost because of _his_ obsessiveness?"

Again Onslaught shrugged, ignoring the more persistent nudge of the loyalty programing. The chain that kept them here, kept them stuck on Earth in the middle of a war with a sparkling.

Ever calm and logical, Onslaught nodded. Then sighed. "Did Hook say when he wanted his payment?" it was the safest change of topic that would not trigger the loyalty program.

Vortex bit his glossa and nodded. Guilt was not something he usually felt, but he felt it every time Onslaught paid Hook to keep their secret. "You know, we could find something else that he wants."

Onslaught gave the sparkling one last affectionate pat and shook his helm at Vortex. "We both know what he wants."

Vortex's optics darkened and the bond rippled with anger. Ace made a small noise in his recharge at feeling his creator's distress. "Go back to recharge Vortex, and stop upsetting Ace."

Onslaught pushed himself to his pedes and gave himself a small stretch, his spinal struts popping back into place. "Ons… listen. Maybe we should just…"

"Recharge Vortex." The order was given. It was an argument they had, had before. If they left, Ace would be without a medic. If they stayed, they risked Ace's discovery each time.

Massive frame turning away, Onslaught rolled his shoulders and ignored Vortex's huff as he watched his commander go. The door to Onslaught's quarters opened and bathed the small room in light before it plunged back into dimness. He blamed the deep rolling guilt that settled in his tank on the gestalt bond, but the years of serving together had just as large of pull.

Vortex huffed a sigh and stretched out next to his sparkling and tried to recharge. He wouldn't, he knew, until Onslaught came back to his quarters. His commander would be freshly washed after his payment to Hook, and his hands would probably be shaking.

Vortex pushed away the guilt and anger, and focused on Ace's gently venting. He would use his time and figure out what the hell he was going to do with the human tomorrow without killing her.

A thought, a stupid one, popped into Vortex's helm.

* * *

The walk to Hook's med bay was both over too quickly and seemed to take forever. Onslaught knew that this was going to happen, there was no way around it. Hook provided upgrades and checkups, and Onslaught provided payment for his silence.

Ace's carrier had wanted nothing to do with him, and had only kept his carrying a secret because he _feared_ his own gestalt leader's reaction. Once Ace had been harvested, the carrier had washed his servos of the whole thing and walked away.

Onslaught had been the one to step up and step in to help raise Ace, all the Combaticon's had despite _not_ being what Onslaught would call ideal caregivers. They managed, somehow.

No matter how many times Onslaught made this walk to Hook's med bay, it never got easier. Having Ace imprinted on him made it bearable each time the sparkling looked up at him and smiled.

The doors to the medbay wished opened and Onslaught pushed his shoulders back, striding inside with even steps and a straight back. The medbay was bright and clean, Hook at one of his tables with a data pad.

His smirk grew without looking up, his red visor flashing as Onslaught neared.

There was only one things Hook wanted from Onslaught. There was only one form of payment that he demanded for the care of Ace and to keep their secret.

"Onslaught." Hook intoned gently as he finally looked up. He sat his data pad down on the table behind him and swiveled his stool so he looked at Onslaught full on.

"Hook." Onslaught nodded, and he quietly buried who he was under a layer of ice and forgot about anything else.

Hook hummed, and tilted his head. Leaning back against the table behind him, he spread his thighs obscenely wide.

Onslaught sighed softly, quiet enough for Hook not to hear and allowed his battle mask to split down the middle and pull into the sides of his helm.

It was an unspoken rule between them, masks were always gone but visors stayed up.

Two steps brought Onslaught to stand in front of Hook, and the Decepticon medic's spike cover slipped away. His pressurize spike pressed upwards into the cool air and Hook hissed at the sensation.

Moving slowly, Onslaught lowered himself to his knees between Hook's thighs and lowered his head. His mouth opened and his lips wrapped around Hook's thick spike.

Moaning softly, Hook reached around to grasp Onslaught's helm and pulled his head down fast and hard. Groaning, Hook aloud his helm to fall back as pleasure and bliss filled him, and Onslaught tried to force his throat to relax at the sudden intrusion.

A voice, soft and sad, and very, very human could be heard. It was horribly off key, and despite himself, Onslaught found comfort in the song not meant for him as he forced himself to move and his head reluctantly bobbed.


	6. Interrogation

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Alright everyone, please heed the warnings for this chapter. It's a bit of a doozy.

Not beta'd

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

The sun was out and bright, and Sunstreaker stretched with a sigh. As far as the gold frontliner was concerned this was a very easy mission. Take the scanner out, put it in the ground and then move. Wheeljack was monitoring the scanners back on the _Ark_ and these scanners would give them an earlier warning if anyone in Nemesis so much as twitched.

He polished the smudge on his arm while Jazz and Sideswipe finished their energon.

"We should do this more often." Sunstreaker said suddenly, blue optics still down as he finished polishing his arm.

"What's that?" Jazz asked.

Sideswipe snorted. "Creeping like little creepers around the beaches near _Nemesis_?"

Sunstreaker mirrored his twin's snort. "No. This, this camping thing."

Jazz and Sideswipe both looked at him, looked at each other then back to the golden mech.

"But…it's dirty out here." Sideswipe said simply.

Giving his twin a flat look, Sunstreaker huffed. "Well…yeah. But, you know." He struggled with his words so Jazz and Sideswipe gave him the moment to sort his thoughts and feelings. "It's nice to get away with just….you know… us."

A smile curled around Jazz's lips and his dark blue optics lightened with joy.

"And you know… it'd be nice to have Prowl here too."

Sideswipe laughed. "Daww. You want to go camping with our care takers?"

Sunstreaker glared. "Well I was thinking of spending time with my family, but you can just stay home if you're going to be a jerk about it."

Nudging his twin, Sideswipe smirked. "Oh come on Sunshine, you know I'm only playing."

"I think it's a great idea." Jazz said with a grin. "Didn't expect you to want to camp Sunny." Sunstreaker gave a shy shrug.

"Thought it would be a…nice break."

Jazz grinned. "Yeah. I reckon it would be." His grin became more genuine. "We'll chat with Prowl when we get home. Have some time for just the four of us."

Sunstreaker gave a little nod, barely suppressing the smirk. "Thanks Jazz."

* * *

"I spy." Callie said with a smirk as she lay on her back on Thundercracker's thigh. "With my little eye something that is….blue."

Thundercracker snorted, crimson optics still on the data pad. They had been doing well, working hard at completing their mission, it didn't matter that it was a training mission.

Skywarp hummed and looked around. "Is it…Thundercracker?"

"Nope!" she chirped.

Skywarp hummed and looked around. "Sky?"

"Try again." Callie yawned.

They hadn't had much in the way of down time until now, and Thundercracker wasn't going to waste an opportunity for his mate and his friend to get along.

"Flowers?" came the next guess.

"Nope!"

"Hmmmm." Skywarp hummed.

"Butterflies." Thundercracker said without looking up, a smirk curling around his mouth.

Callie's own smirk grew. "Butterflies." She confirmed.

"Heh." Thundercracker laughed at Skywarp's pout.

"Alright." The blue seeker smirked as he looked up from his data pad, one that Callie had given him for his sudo-creation day. "I spy with my little optic, something that is green."

"Thundercracker," Callie was pouting now to. "Were in the forest. Everything is green."

"Mhmm."

"Everything?" came a hesitant question from Skywarp.

"That doesn't count." Thundercracker smirked.

Callie sighed and Skywarp frowned. "Is it moss?"

"Nope."

They both sighed again, much to Thundercracker's amusement.

* * *

Mia was sick of crying, that much she was sure of. She was an ugly crier. Her cheeks got blotchy and red, her eyes were wide and watery, and her nose would not stop running and it was just gross. Mia was sick of being afraid.

When they were rescued, and Mia was so, _so_ certain that they would be rescued, she was going to have Epps show her how to defend herself. She was going to have Starscream teach her _something_ that would make her useful in a situation like this.

For now, she followed Starscream's instructions. She stayed quiet and low, didn't draw attention to herself. She shook in Megatron's hand as he smirked down at her, his blood red optics bright with nasty intent. He was enjoying this, Mia realized. He enjoyed frightening her and hurting Starscream.

The seeker managed to stay on his pedes as Onslaught pushed him lightly down the halls of _Nemesis,_ not pushing hard enough to send Starscream to the floor. Yet he still stumbled and tripped down the fall way, only staying up when Onslaught's discreet hand would catch him and quietly right him.

Hands shaking badly, Mia looked up at the dark walls and tried to remember the turns they took. They were going deeper into _Nemesis_ , deeper then Mia had been before. The air was cooler and musty down here, damp, and the walls were wet with sea water.

Starscream coughed, his vents still wheezed and crackled from the day before, still full of wetness and moisture. Onslaught had been right, it would take days for Starscream's systems to completely dry out and Mia worried that he wouldn't properly under the ocean. She worried that rust would set in and eat away at his ventilation system. It wouldn't take long.

She gnawed on her lip and green eyes glanced up worriedly; Starscream was still panting, his systems had started to spark and short circuit, causing him to glitch and twitch. Mia was not sure how long his systems would function like that before they just sort of gave out.

"I wouldn't be so worried about _him_." Megatron smirked down at her, a mammoth to her small form. "Today, you should be worried about yourself."

She frowned up at him and tried to glare. He just laughed at her attempt to be fearless and she knew that Danny and Callie wouldn't have sobbed like this. They would be nasty and mocking to the bitter end.

Mia, she realized, was as weak as everyone thought she was. She was small and useless and she got Starscream caught by a sociopath who would hurt him for the sake of hurting him.

Wiping the wetness from her face, Mia tried to push down on her fear and bottle it up.

"What?" Megatron's words were mocking and full of sadistic laughter. "You've nothing to say? No witty comebacks? No scathing remarks?" he tsked at her, his smirk still wide and gleeful. "I must say, the others like you had much more fight in them."

Fear slipped from her shaky control and crept into Mia's chest, and she held back the sob that threatened to break free. She would not give Megatron the satisfaction of seeing her afraid again. Risking a glance up, dismay filled Mia as she realized that it was too late.

Coming into a new room, Vortex leaned against a table with his hip, arms crossed over his grey chest. "Lord Megatron." He intoned respectfully with a nod of his helm.

Megatron dumped Mia roughly onto the table and she tumbled from his hand with an 'Unff!' as she landed awkwardly among Vortex's interrogation equipment. Pushing herself up, she looked at what surrounded her with horror, the light catching the silver metal in the way a horror movie would be set up.

She inched away from the tools, trying to curl into a tight ball away from them.

Megatron turned with a smirk to look at Starscream. "Tell me Onslaught, Vortex, how does it feel to have Starscream, the mech who liberated you, here? In Vortex's interrogation room?"

Vortex shrugged and Onslaught responded in a dead voice. "There is nothing to feel about it. Starscream is a traitor and he is here."

Starscream's optics flashed and he wasn't sure he believed Onslaughts words completely. Megatron still laughed. "Of course. Of course Onslaught."

Megatron smirked and without looking back reached out a hand with a twist of his upper frame. "Vortex, your cement gun."

Vortex paused, red optics glancing to the weapon on the table before he slowly picked it up. Mia's eyes went wide at the weapon, it was heavily modified for a heavier bolt. Megatron took it with easy, lifting it over his shoulder like it was weightless.

Megatron held it away from his frame, admiring Vortex's handy work, the carful carvings in the stalk of the weapon. "I must say Vortex you truly missed your calling."

The interrogators head dipped, his arms crossing tighter over his chest and his rotors pulled in tightly. It was an attempt to make himself smaller, an attempt to show modesty.

"Fleshling." Megatron said with a smirk. "What is your name?"

"M-Mia." Her small voice came.

"Mia." Megatron repeated the name slowly. Carefully, tasting the human's name and she shivered when he said it. "Tell me Mia, do you think Vortex missed his calling? He can create such powerful and beautiful weapons. Some truly destructive things, don't you think?"

Panicked poured into Mia's belly and she glanced desperately to Starscream first for guidance. The seeker glared coldly at Megatron, not giving her any indication as to what she should say or do. She glanced to Onslaught, he had been kind in the simple fact he hadn't been an asshole to her, but as always he was an immovable wall of cold.

Vortex just curled silently into himself, leaning against the table and avoiding everyone's attention. He knew this was a set up, and he was helpless to stop it.

"Umm." She said eventually. "I-I guess so. He did…I guess he did a good job."

Megatron smirked cruelly, and the tension in the room increased. "You hear that Vortex? You've impressed a human."

"Of course, Lord Megatron." Vortex said robotically, not really paying attention to what was being said around him. Not really.

Mia frowned despite her fear. She found it disturbing that all the Decepticons called Megatron 'Lord'. It made her uncomfortable, and she knew that Prime would never force his people to call him 'Lord.' He was putting himself above the rest of the Decepticon's, where Prime saw everyone as equals.

"Such a beautiful weapon." He crooned and fell oddly quiet. Megatron suddenly turned back towards Onslaught and Starscream, his massive grey fist wrapping around Starscream's throat and threw him against a wall. "Let's see how well it works." He purred pressing his nose against Starscream's cheek in a very intimate gesture.

Snarling and struggling against Megatron's hold, Starscream kicked out at him in a desperate attempt to free himself, his vents wheezing and struggling as he fought. Still smirking wide, Megatron released Starscream's throat and grasped his wrist and pinned his hand to the bulk head in the room.

Megatron sighed happily at Starscream's wide and panicked optics, color bleeding out to white in his distress. "Primus, I've missed this." And he pressed the muzzle of the cement gun to the palm of Starscream's hand.

"Fuck-" Starscream's curse was cut off by his shriek and he struggled as Megatron fired a bolt into his hand, pinning the Seeker to the bulk head.

Mia gasped and pressed her hands to her ears at the painful noise Starscream made.

Calmly as ever, Megatron took Starscream's other hand and pressed the cement gun to the palm of his already ruined hand and again pulled the trigger. His broken digits twitched open with the pain as the bolt forced its way through the metal of his hand.

Braced for the pain, Starscream bit out a pained curse, biting his glossa hard enough to taste energon. His arms shook and energon leaked down the corner of his mouth as Starscream tried to catch his venting.

Energon leaked down from the puncture holes from his ruined hands and leaked steadily down Starscream's arms. All Mia could do was watch on, horrified at what she was witnessing, and sickened by how much Megatron enjoyed this.

How, she wondered, could someone hurt one of their own like this? This, Mia suddenly understood with horrific clarity was the reason Starscream had been so easily swayed to leave. Why Thundercracker had not tried to convince Callie to join the Decepticons.

Megatron was an abusive tyrant who toyed with his own people to meet his own ends. Something shifted inside of Mia then, something hard and heavy deep in her chest. Something that made her feel things she never had in her life, made her feel a blood boiling hate that she had heard Danny describe as blood lust.

Before Megatron, Mia had never hated anyone. Not truly. But she hated Megatron, and suddenly she didn't have it in her to cry any longer.

Glancing to Onslaught and Vortex, both had their heads down and looked away. Beaten, she suddenly realized, by the same mech who had beaten the seekers down to nearly nothing. Megatron had done to the Combaticons what he had done to Starscream, only they were trapped and bound by the loyalty program. That awful thing that Thundercracker had told them about so many months ago.

For a moment, brief as it was, Mia relived that memory; she was sitting at a table for breakfast with Danny and Callie. Sunstreaker had just gotten out of the medbay and was fueling with Sideswipe, Thundercracker and Skywarp. It was a happy memory and it fed her strength she hadn't felt since she and Starscream had been captured a whole four days ago.

Starscream hyperventilated as Megatron watched on with delight, and that something broke further inside of Mia. That something, that kind thing, that gentle smile, that softness of heart she was so well known for twisted, and Mia swore she would survive this. She and Starscream, because god help her she was taking him home too, where getting out of here.

Megatron's helm tilted, optics glittering with delight. "Vortex." He said softly, gently that was awkward and stilted. "I want you to torture the human. Our Miss Mia."

Green eyes brightened with panic and horror, but she managed to bite her tongue and she shed no tears. Wide eyes turned to Vortex, who had frozen and stiffened at the order.

He coughed. "Lord Megatron, she is a human." He said simply, slowly to state a very obvious fact.

"She is." Megaton said firmly, turning back to watch Starscream as the seeker snarled, pinned to the bulk head.

"I…ah. I don't know how to…" his hand peeled away from his chest and made a vague gesture. "I don't know how to interrogate a human. With…out…killing her."

"Don't kill her." Came the firm order. "Just make her scream."

Vortex shifted and scratched at his arm. He knew he would not be able to _not_ kill her, she was too little and the loyalty program made him flinch as he was unable to follow the order. "But. She's so small." His voice was getting smaller, unsure.

Megatron turned away from Starscream, a large, grey hand landing on the seeker's hip. Starscream tried to cringe away, wincing at the pull of his hands that kept him traped. "You will figure it out Vortex. I want her to scream and I want her alive."

Terror filled Mia, her eyes wide as they turned up to the Decepticon. She had heard about Vortex, so she doubted she would receive mercy. His face was covered by a mask and unreadable, but his frame was tense and shoulders hunched.

"I don't know how." The visor flashed to Onslaught, unsure and the gestalt bond pleaded for help.

Megatron's blood red optics narrowed. "Are you disobeying an order Vortex?"

The interrogator flinched, the loyalty programing demanding unquestioning devotion. "N-No Lord Megatron."

Megatron nodded. "Then continue."

"But I do not know how to harm a human and not kill them. If I hurt her, she will die."

Mia shuttered, they spoke about her death so easily. Starscream snarled through the pain as energon leaked down the side of his mouth and poured from his hands. "Just stop it Megatron!" he managed to spit, his voice raspy and angry. "You've scared her enough. Move on."

With a snarl that promised violence, Megatron spun around and his fist found Starscream's middle with a sickening thud.

Mia flinched at the noise as the hit forced all the air from Starscream's wet vents. His optic sparked and whited out with pain as he gasped and struggled for air. Grey claws wrapped around Starscream's throat before he could catch his vents, and Megatron began to pull him from the bulk head. He stopped only as Starscream's palm began to give, and the bolts that pinned him threatened to tare completely through his servos.

"Shut. Up." He said bitterly to Starscream, spit wetting the Seeker's face before Megaton landed a blow to the side of Starscream's helm.

Starscream's black helm dented and his optic sparked as he fell limp. His head lolled down wards and all his weight was put into his hands.

Megatron snorted, gently stroking Starscream's wings as he hung semi-unconscious and he groaned. Megatron's other hand trailed down the seeker's chest, a crazed smile spreading over his mouth, fingers digging into Starscream's damaged pectoral vent. "Continue Vortex."

The crimson visor flashed to Mia and his claws dug into his forearms. "Lord Megatron, allow me to work Starscream over. He will scream just as sweetly and live what I am able to do to him. The girl will not." Vortex almost pleaded. "Anything I do to the human she will not be able to withstand. I have no knowledge of what human limits are, but Starscream, I know what he can withstand."

Megatron sighed, his hand moving from Starscream's wing to his face, gently stroking the seeker's face in a mockery of a lover. Grunting, Starscream tried to pull out of his touch, and he tried to get his pedes back underneath of him.

Pushing away from Starscream, Megatron suddenly swung around with a balled fist that slammed hard into Onslaught's helm.

The Combaticon's helm dented at the contact and Onslaught dropped to his knees. Mia's glittering green eyes widened and her mouth opened for a gasp in shock, but she managed to swallow it back. Vortex tensed, taking a half step before the loyalty bond froze him in place.

The loyalty bond making him shutter in pain and his tank churned. Onslaught was taking the punishment in his stead.

"Stahp." Starscream swayed from his hands and continued to struggle to stand, his optics flickered in and out of focus, sparking.

Megatron ignored the Seeker, instead pressed a hand flat to a wall for better leverage to kick Onslaught from above. The Commander didn't even bother to try to lift a hand to protect himself, knew it was a pointless endeavor as kick after kick rained down over his head.

Instead he put his head down to protect his optics and visor and took blow after blow to his helm and shoulders. His thick armor dented, and one shoulder dislocated from a particularly bad blow. A blow to the back of Onslaught's helm send him forward onto his single good arm, and yet Megatron did not let up.

Even then Onslaught did not utter a groan. He swallowed his pain and pride and rode out the punishment that Megatron decided to dole out. Decided that he would receive the punishment for Vortex's refusal to interrogate the human, even when getting conflicting orders.

That shift inside of Mia twisted further, and the wetness in her eyes dried. Onslaught had been kind to her by the simple fact that he had not been an asshole, and she mourned what was being done to him. That guilt fueled her rage, and that rage fed her hate. One thing was certain, Mia hated Megatron more then any other being in the world.

Panting, Megatron stumbled forward after the heel of his pede awkwardly caught Onslaught's helm. The War Lord caught himself on the wall, his pede coming to stomp down hard onto Onslaught's fingers. Still the commander didn't utter a word and Mia bit her lower lip so hard she tasted the coppery tang of blood.

Vortex was stiff and still, his servos trembled with rage as he fought the loyalty program that kept him rooted. He looked away, his brow furrowed and his claws bit into his arms.

Starscream managed to get his pedes under him and staggered back up the wall. He panted, his head spun and blood energon dripping down his chin. He could no longer feel his digits and his processor was having a hard time making sense of what was going on, and even then Starscream knew this was wrong.

Panting over his dented commander, Megatron looked to Vortex's table of toys and a smirk grew slowly across his lips. Slowly reaching over, his massive grey fist slipped over head of the human, and he promptly ignored her to reach for something long and thick.

Horror filled Mia's green eyes and Vortex hissed as Megatron picked up a cattle prod. Modified, like the cement gun before it, but the blue electricity that danced around the end of silver metal was thick and crackled.

Still, Onslaught did not move or utter a noise.

Megatron bent to grasp the back of his neck and hauled Onslaught to his pedes before slamming him chest first into a table. The large grey servo pined Onslaught's helm to the table, keeping him pressed into the cold metal. The commander's hand went flat to the table and his frame tensed as to brace itself.

Megatron laughed, enjoying himself as he shoved the cattle prod between Onslaught's lateral abdominal plates; it did not reach deep enough to brush the sensitive protoform beneath the thick armor. Yet it was deep enough that when Megatron flicked it on and electricity coursed through his large frame, Onslaught sucked in a gulp of air in pain. His fingers sought the edge of the table he was pinned to, his strength crushing the edge as electricity shot through him.

Agony erupted through Onslaught's frame and he gritted his denta against the cry that worked its way up from his chest. He swallowed the pain that made his vision swim and his hands shake.

Onslaught's knees went weak when Megatron pulled the prod from his side and he fought to stay up right. Once the electric attack stopped, and the pain ebbed a little, Onslaught realized the gestalt bond was lit with panic and Vortex reached out. **_Need Help?_** The bond rang hallow between them.

 ** _No._** There was no point in both of them going down. Besides, Ace needed Vortex to care for him tonight. Blast Off was out on patrol, and Onslaught was going to be in the med bay after this.

Vortex grit his denta and stood at attention, determined to bear witness to his Commander's pain.

Panting, Onslaught tried to push himself up with his good arm but he felt weak from the attack. Megatron shoved him back down by pressing into the center of his back and face first into the table. Onslaught clamped his denta together and chocked back the pain as Megatron shoved the prod in again, forcing it deeper under his armour.

Onslaught swallowed the guttural noise that threatened to work passed his denta, barley swallowing the noise back. He knew he should be embarrassed, to be tortured like this in front if Starscream and the human, but he couldn't bother to.

He didn't have much in the way of pride left anyways.

But he kept Ace safe. He kept his team safe. He would give his pound of flesh and sate Megatron's rage for now.

He swallowed the cry of pain as electricity crawled under his plating. Pain touched every inch of his frame, and even then he did not allow even the smallest of noises escape. He refused to give Megatron the satisfaction.

Mia bit her lip and thought about looking away. She refused to, green eyes focused on Onslaught writhing in pain, and knew this would haunt her for years to come. She jutted her chin, her cheeks still blotchy but she refused to cry this time.

The prod was pulled roughly away again, and Megatron's optics glittered with devious intent. "What do you think Vortex? Do you think we can wring a scream from your commander?"

"No." Vortex responded firmly, the loyalty bond demanding the truth from his lips.

* * *

NOTE- the rest of this chapter does not meet Fan Fiction's rules and regulations. Thus I will not be posting the rest of this chapter on this platform. The rest of this chapter can be read on Archive of Our Own under the same pen name.


	7. Secrets

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: I would love to thank SunnySidesofBlue of her help with this chapter and for her editing help. She pointed out some things that helped improve this chapter and make it more cohesive.

Thank you!

* * *

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

Starscream was still incoherent when Vortex dragged him on his aft back to the brig. The seeker mumbled in unintelligible words as his optics flashed and sparked, his vents still rasping with the eerie gurgle. Mia suspected he was far more hurt after that last blow from Megatron then he was even letting on now. Onslaught was limping along behind his interrogator, knees shaking and optics barley able to focus.

Mia was impressed he was able to stay standing, never mind keep walking. Yet Onslaught did, with his visor dim and his throat sore. He wobbled occasionally, suddenly pitching over as he carried Mia back to the brig and having to catch himself on the cool, damp wall.

Mia was able to stifle a gasp and cling to his hand, green eyes jamming shut as he clung to his thumb. Each time Vortex would pause, glancing back to his commander and twitch as though to reach out. He never did offer any sort of physical comfort, but waited patiently for Onslaught to push himself from the wall.

Once Mia heard him fight back a retch; he hissed and gulped, forcing whatever was trying to make its way back up down before he righted himself and continued to the brig.

It was slow going and awkward between them all. Mia had witnessed something she should not have, she had seen Megatron's cruelty. His depravity.

She had seen how low he pushed the Decepticons down. How he hurt them so, and she wondered how many more had suffered like this? How many had been In Onslaught's position?

A large mech, blue and white was moving slowly down the hall, dragging his pedes towards the interrogation room where Megatron was still waiting. Soundwave, Mia realized, was fearful.

His shoulders were hunched up to his audio receptors and his frame was stiff and tense. The red visor that protected Soundwave's optics never deviated and he didn't bother to look back as they passed.

Mia jutted her jaw forward in defiance despite the ache in her leg that had finally dulled from the piercing pain. "So, even your third in command fears him." She whispered only loud enough for Onslaught to hear.

The gold visor flickered down to her for the first time, taking in her tiny appearance but said nothing.

Mia watched Soundwave bitterly, knowing another Decepticon would end up in the med bay tonight.

Onslaught felt weak and sick. Sick with himself and what he had endured, and the cruelty bestowed upon him. When they reached the brig Onslaught sighed and forced himself to stay up right. All he had to do was drop the human off then he could limp to med bay.

He knew Vortex would go check on Ace and Blast Off before coming to follow him to ensure he made it safely.

The interrogator shoved Starscream into the cell even before the dark door slid open, the former Air Commander landing face first on the floor of the damp room. Vortex snarled at him, glaring at Starscream as through he hated him so very much, blaming him for their predicament.

As Onslaught moved to set Mia down, she looked up at him angry and bitter. "Why don't you leave?" because surely the loyalty program was not this strong to force a mech like Onslaught to stay in a place like this.

Gold optics looked down at her as he knelt down for her to pull herself from his hand and collapsed to the ground when her broken leg gave out from underneath her. The visor that hid his optics flickered and there was no pity in Mia's eyes, only that unwavering hatred.

"You assume." His voice was gravelly and course from screaming. "That we have a choice."

He expected pity, he did not expect her face to darken further with anger.

Weird little thing.

Onslaught shook his helm and pushed himself to stand. The door slid shut, plunging Mia and Starscream back into darkness once more. Vortex came up to Onslaught, pressing a hand to his commanders lower back, claws curling in to the plates.

He said nothing as they turned away besides. "I'll take you to med bay before I check in with Blast Off."

Onslaught nodded and tried not to feel pathetic as he leaned into Vortex's smaller frame. They both paused at the off key singing, Mia's broken voice warbling in the darkness.

Vortex snarled and Onslaught just sighed. He had never felt so tired in his entire life. "The human needs water and food." He muttered.

"So what?" Vortex hissed, a hand sliding around Onslaught's waist to keep him upright. "Let the thing die."

Onslaught shook his helm no. Ace, he thought, was making him soft. "Need her. Can't use her if she's dead."

Vortex sighed, and grumbled he would ensure the little helpless one ate. Onslaught nodded and leaned further onto Vortex as they limped back to Hook. Dread filled Onslaught at seeing their medic once more.

* * *

Perceptor was careful to pour the contents of one fluid into the other, hoping to create at least the forerunner of a synthetic energon formula.

Aleyah sat on the table, her legs dangling over the edge and leaning back onto her hands while her legs swung. She was well behind a blast shield, and well protected in the event his calculations were wrong. Although they rarely were, he would not risk her life because of his ego.

"Hey Preceptor?" she asked with a yawn, and Preceptor suspected she was not sleeping enough.

"Hmmm?" he made a noncommittal noise to indicate he was listening as he carefully poured the liquid into the beaker.

"How'd you meet Drift?"

Perceptor smiled fondly as the last of the fluid dripped into the larger beaker. He righted himself and placed the now purplish fluid onto a very large Bunsen burner.

"It was before Kup adopted him into the Wreckers. We were on a mission and I had been assigned to the Wreckers to watch over Kup. We were experimenting with a new piece of equipment that was created to help stabilize Kup's sanity."

Aleyah rose a brow. "Keep his sanity in check?" There was so much she had to learn, so much she didn't understand.

Perceptor nodded. "He experienced a rather traumatic event that altered him. He was exposed to a rather potent radiation that affected his mental stability. He became paranoid and aggressive. The Cy-gar helped stabilize his moods and suppress his flashbacks of that mission."

Aleyah's eyes widened. "You can do that?"

He gave a little nod, offering a small smile as the liquid began to bubble. "We can. We try to do what we can to ease the suffering of our fellow Autobots."

Giving a hum of interest, Aleyah's head tilted. "That kind of tech could improve the lives of humans too. Anyone with PTSD, anxiety or depression."

Preceptor paused, optics flicking upwards in though and consideration. He gave a little nod with an appreciated hum. "The electrodes contained within human's bodies do vary from Cybertronions, but I suppose it could be modified to aid humanity as well."

Blue optics flashed and brightened as he considered the possibility. The opportunity to help hundreds, maybe even thousands, to be a scientist again that didn't have to focus on solely war. Already the numbers were being crunched in his processor as he considered what types of materials he would use, the coding he would use. He would have to test it of course, how would he do that? Could he reach out to a hospital perhaps? Look for volunteers?

Aleyah's small cough brought Perceptor out of his thoughts and to her grinning face. "So, Drift?"

Perceptor felt his cheeks heat and he cleared his throat. "Of course. Well, during the first outing with Kup's new ci-gar and I was instructed to protect him and monitor his behavior and mental status during the mission. It was before I had…upgraded myself for a proper military exercise."

Aleyah's mouth pulled into a small frown and her brows furrowed. "You went out as a civvy?"

Perceptor bit his cheek a little to hide his discomfort. She was already speaking like the others in the military. "I did." He confirmed and his face darkened. "And I paid for it. I was shot in the chest and nearly died on a Decepticon war ship that Kup was tasked with infiltrating. Kup had suspected I died on the ship and left me. Drift was the one who came back to ensure I was, and when he found me alive and got me off the ship."

Black anger suddenly filled Aleyah's eyes and her teeth gritted in rage. "The Autobots left you for dead?" she spat.

Perceptor gave a one shouldered shrug. "It is a risk you take when you join the Wreckers. Their missions are often one way." He gave another shrug. "I knew what I was getting into to."

She still frowned at him. "Still. They should have at least checked."

Perceptor offered her a small smile. "They should have. But tell me this, if you are in a fire fight would you risk your life and endanger your comrades to check on the life of another?" she frowned up at him, dark eyes flicking away as she considered it. "Would you risk the life of one sister to check if another is alive?"

Aleyah suddenly looked stricken, her eyes wide and torn. "I….I don't know."

Managing a soft smile, Perceptor gave a little nod. "In the heat of the war that was a common choice we had. Do you risk your whole team for a single life? It's an awful way to live and we had no choice. I do not blame them for not going back."

Aleyah made an annoyed noise none the less, so Preceptor continued. "Drift saved my life and he was new to the Autobots. I felt I at least owed him some kind of guidance until he found his pedes and could stand on his own amongst the Autobots. I befriended him when most others shunned him."

He pressed a hand to his thick chest plate. "I reinforced my chest plate, created the optic tracker to make myself more accurate on the battle field. I ensured that I would never again be a liability to my comrades. I would never again make my few friends put their lives on the line for me. I made myself an asset."

Preceptor gave another one shoulder shrug. "I became a…." he floundered for a word, adding another liquid to the boiling concoction.

Aleyah smirked. "A creature with which one does not fuck?"

Preceptor rose a brow at her. "I suppose." He said slowly, an almost smirk curling around his lips.

Nodding, Aleyah blushed. "Yeah. Mia likes to read these paranormal love stories by a writer named Kresley Cole. That became one of her favorite sayings." Perceptor chuckled at the redness that crept along Aleyah's nose and cheeks. "So, when was Drift supposed to arrive?"

The chuckle died and guilt filled Aleyah at the sudden sadness. "They were supposed to land six months ago. All of the Wreckers were supposed to. It's been radio silence since they left."

Aleyah frowned. "So they should have landed when Thundercracker was picked up by Callie?"

"Mhmm." He paused and gave a little sigh and admitted something he had not admitted to anyone else. "I miss him. I fear he will not come home." Aleyah's face fell and her eyes became sad.

"I am afraid that he died alone on some war torn planet surrounded by dead friends and comrades." He admitted sadly as he took the bubbling liquid from the Bunsen burner to cool.

Aleyah frowned and she gave a little sigh. "Maybe." She said slowly, despite the frown Perceptor gave her. "But maybe not." She gave another little sigh. "Listen, I'm not really great with this. Like…being nice to people. Usually drown my sorrows in liquor."

"Not a healthy coping mechanism." Perceptor noted, blue optics flickered towards her.

She gave a little shrug. "Yeah well, I managed."

Giving her a very concerned looked, Perceptor managed a sigh. An awkward tension settled between them and Aleyah settled back onto her hands. She simply sucked at this. She wasn't comforting like Mia. She was smart like Callie or sassy like Danny. She was just…

Damaged.

Yet, so was Preceptor, and they both knew the odds of Drift coming home after so long.

"You remind me of him, a little." Perceptor said softly, taking a reading of the cooled liquid. "You seem so angry and sad, yet so determined to prove yourself worthy."

He looked towards his little human companion. "And like I told him, you don't have to prove anything Aleyah."

She couldn't explain why that touched her so much, or why her heart softened at those words. "Thanks." She managed to choke out as emotion suddenly swelled. She managed to swallow it back. "I hope I get to meet Drift."

Perceptor looked away from her to hide the wetness in his optics. "Me as well." He said gently, and Aleyah pretended not to notice the tear that slipped from his optic.

* * *

Blurr walked with Hound towards the mess hall, the racer's smile not as bright as it usually was. It didn't reach his optics and he shifted uncomfortable next to the green tracker.

"Listen Hound, I know we had a deal…but it's okay. We don't have to like uphold it or anything."

Hound frowned up at his taller friend in confusion. "But we had a deal. We would swap shifts if you spent time with Liz."

Blurr sighed and scratched the back of his helm. "It sounds so much worse when you put it that way." He muttered sounding ashamed.

Hound frowned, kind blue optics dimmed with acknowledgement. "I…I suppose that is true. It would probably hurt her feelings too. If she found out."

Blurr nodded as they came to the mess hall. "She would and I kinda like Liz." They stepped into the mess hall and spotted Liz showing something to a very bored looking Mirage. "She's really smart!" Blurr continued. "And when she's not sad and crying, she's wicked fun."

The racers face brightened. "She _loved_ racing around base and even promised to make up an algorithm that tracks my speed around turns. She thinks I can get more outta them!"

Hound smiled up at Blurr as they crossed the mess hall to get a cube of energon.

"Anyways, the little human isn't so bad. She's okay right?"

Hound laughed. "So you want to be her friend?"

Blurr's ever present smirk fell a little. "And I don't want to hurt her feelings or chase her off."

Blurr nodded as he handed a cube to Hound, looking a little hopeful.

"Well, you know Blurr, we are friends." The former racer had to stop himself from asking 'we are?' and allowed Hound to continue. "So you could always just _ask_ to switch those shifts around." Hound gave a little gasp of pleasure. "Oh! And you could take Liz! I bet she'd like that!"

Blurr gave Hound a shier then usual smile. "And you'd be okay with that? Us hanging out?"

Hound laughed. "Blurr please, we can all be friends." Blurr's smile became a little more genuine at that. "It's not going to hurt my feelings if you guys want to go watch a race."

As they came to their table, Hound smiled at Perceptor as he showed Aleyah something on his data pad and to Prowl who was talking about something about a tree with Danny. "Besides, I doubt you want to hear us geek out about plants right? So go have fun at your race."

Blurr beamed as they took their seats at the table, Mirage looking sullen as Hound took a seat next to him. Liz smirked up to the two mechs. "That race is pretty cool! Danny told me all about it."

If at all possible Blurr's expression got even brighter. "I'm so excited! Do you want to come and watch it?"

"Pfft! Who do you think Danny asked to set up the rec room to watch it? It's going to be so epic!" Her own blue eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'm even going to use the same algorithm that I'll set up for you to measure their speed. I'm hoping to gather all that data to help the Autobots better manage Earth roads. It'll…" Liz petered out, her blonde brows furrowing suddenly.

Joy, full and bright and pure suddenly light up her face. "Red Alert just sent me a computer virus!" She said in a rush of joy and excitement.

Blurr looked confused to Hound. "This…this is a good thing?"

Hound laughed. "Yeah. It's a good thing."

* * *

Red Alert sat in his dimly lit control centre, anxiously chewing on his lip. Inferno sat beside him, monitoring the outer perimeter with a keen but gentle optic.

"You know." he said slowly and carefully, "staring at the computer won't make her respond faster."

"If she responds at all." Red Alert snarked back bitterly and his chest filled again with that sad, compressed feeling. He hadn't meant to hurt her feelings, he really hadn't. He just didn't understand what she was trying to accomplish at the time.

"She'll respond." Inferno said gently, hoping against hope that she would. Red Alert needed…someone else besides him.

Red Alert huffed and crossed his arms. He tore his optics away from the internal monitor to the inner perimeter. He felt anxious and afraid that she _wouldn't_ respond in kind because he had been such a jerk. How was it his fault that he didn't see what the crazy little creature had been doing!

A ping sounded from the other screen that Red Alert had been hawking over, and his light blue optics shot directly to the warning message. He made an undignified squeeze of excitement and his audio horns flickered and sparked with the sudden change in emotion.

"What is it!" Inferno asked suddenly, spark pulsing harder at the sudden change in Red Alerts demeanor and EM field.

"Liz responded!" Red Alert suddenly gushed, optics bright and excited. He did one last check of the perimeter cameras before turning fully to his key board.

Inferno laughed, relief pulsing through him. "See? I told you she would." He said mildly, glad to hear Red Alert's digits flying over the keys of his consol.

"Shh! I'm thinking!" Red Alert snapped, and Inferno chuckled again.

Everything seemed right with the world again.

* * *

Mia woke up pressed against Starscream's side feeling hurt and cramped. She had been pressed against his cheek with her broken leg stretched out in an awkward angle before she had passed out from exhaustion.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Mia winced and gritted her teeth when pain shot up her leg and into her belly like fire. Forcing her stiff muscles to stretch, Mia wriggled the toes of her good leg to get the feeling back into it. With a dejected sigh, she leaned back against Starscream's cheek and stared angrily at the wall.

She thought about Onslaught and her disgust at what had been done to him rose from her core. She thought about Vortex, and she just couldn't muster ill will towards the interrogator who was trapped here as well, forced to bear witness to his gestalt leader's punishment.

She thought about Starscream and wondered how many eons had he suffered alone?

Mostly however, Mia thought about how she was going to get out of here and all the things she would do. She would be a better sister. She wanted to learn to paint and she wondered if Starscream would want to learn with her.

She wanted Epps to teach her hand to hand combat.

She wanted to go sky diving.

However, Mia swore that if she survived this nightmare, she would spend the rest of her days making Megatron's life a living hell. Even if it was in the most petty of ways, she would find it.

No tears fell from Mia's eyes this time, only a blood boiling rage that seeped like tar into her heart and galvanized it. She clenched her fists in helpless rage and she grit her teeth so hard her head began to pound, and didn't know how to cope with this kind of anger.

"Stop it." Starscream groused suddenly, the living silicon of his cheek moving against her back.

Tuning towards him a little, Mia's rage diminished at the sight of his pain filled optics. "Stop what?" her voice was hoarse and confused.

Starscream sighed. "Wasting your energy. Use your rage to stay alive." At her confused look he gave her a mockery of a smile. "I can feel you tensing. Your jaw is clenched and your fists are balled. Calm down. Turn it inward and use it as energy."

Red brows furrowed. "Is that how you survived for this long?" her voice was suddenly small and brittle, the rage washing away to leave bright green eyes that Starscream was happy to see. That Starscream had been so desperate to see.

Perhaps Megatron hadn't broken her completely.

"Yes." Starscream rasped and his vents felt wet and heavy.

The rage returned and clouded Mia's face. "I'm going to kill him." She swore, an oath she had never made before. The change should have frightened her, but Onslaught's screams of agony echoed in her head stopped her from being ashamed of her rage.

Starscream laughed. It was a hollow and weak thing. "How?" he asked without malice. "We've fought an entire war dedicated to killing each other and yet he survived. How would you do it?"

Mia glared into the dim light of their cell. She pulled her good leg up to her chest and snarled. "I'm going to melt his fucking face!"

Green eyes went wide at the sudden admission and they turned frightened to Starscream's surprised crimson.

The Seeker sighed at her sudden fear. "He does this to people. He twists them. Don't let him win." There were so many mechs Megatron had ruined and twisted. Broken until they didn't even recognize themselves, until even their friends and loved ones didn't recognize them.

Glitch was always one who came to mind when Starscream thought about how much Megatron could bend someone before they snapped. He would destroy a mech so completely and rebuild them into what he saw fit.

The fear faded and determination filled Mia's eyes, emotions switching so quickly that Starscream's head spun attempting to keep up. Her eyes darkened. "I still want to melt his fucking face off."

Despite himself, Starscream laughed again, a little more real this time. "I triggered a rock slide to kill him once. Didn't work."

Mia snorted. "See? Gotta kill evil things with fire." She turned her face back towards him and her eyes softened. "Are you okay?"

Starscream's helm pounded from the last blow, his optic sparked, his servos were near useless now and his tank still had an annoying persistence leak. Still, he offered her a small smile. "I'll live. Are you okay?"

Mia shrugged. "My leg hurts. I think I need to set it or something."

Starscream hummed. "I don't think I have the motor skills right now to set it. Might rip it off accidently."

Mia gave him a disturbed look. "Let's leave it then." She sighed and winced as it throbbed.

Starscream nodded. He swallowed in an attempt to moisten his intake. "That was a brave thing you did for Onslaught."

Bright green eyes suddenly lit up. "Really? You thought I was brave?"

Starscream made an uncomfortable noise, curling around her small frame a little tighter. "Mhmm. It was. Brave, but foolish. Vortex could have killed you. Onslaught is a big mech, he can take his own punishments."

Mia's face fell a little and Starscream's spark twisted sadly in his chest. "But he didn't do anything wrong." She said softly.

Starscream sighed and hated how easily _he_ could hurt her feelings. "Well. It was still foolish. But only a little, it was mostly brave. I'm sure Onslaught won't forget what you did for him. Or tried to."

Mia instantly brightened again and the pressure from his spark lessened. That was a little…weird, Starscream thought. "I guess I was pretty brave huh?" she leaned back into Starscream's cheek. "Why didn't Megatron stop?" she whispered.

Starscream sighed. "Because he hates Onslaught. Megatron knows that Onslaught is far smarter and ruthless. It was bad luck that landed Onslaught in this position and Megaton takes every opportunity to lord that over Onslaught's head."

Mia huffed a sigh and leaned back against Starscream's cheek, her face pulled into an ugly snarl and she glared at the opposite wall. She couldn't look at her awkwardly bent leg and tried to ignore the dull ache.

Starscream sighed softly. "Go back to sleep. We don't know how much longer we have until someone comes back."

Mia leaned back and closed her eyes. "We're going to go home Starscream." She swore softly.

Starscream snorted and tried to make himself comfortable; he did not believe her. "Of course we are," he lied quietly. He doubted they would ever get out of _Nemesis_ alive.

The door swishing open made them both jump, Mia's bright green eyes widened in shock that turned to anger. Starscream snarled and crouched over her protectively like an angry, wounded animal with his wings pulled high and defensive, pain shooting through every part of his frame.

Vortex's silhouette darkened the light from the hall way, his crimson visor burning angrily at the pair of them on the floor of the cell. There was a low grumble of a snarl from the back of Vortex's throat, his large frame stiff and tense with rage. What happened to Onslaught was _their_ fault.

Still glaring and snarling, Vortex held out a cube of energon and a small human bag. "I'm only here because Onslaught asked me to be. You could rot for all I care."

Starscream snarled, denta bared, Vortex snarled back. "We don't have much time, Ramjet is on his way down. Stop being a fool."

"What is it," Mia hissed under her breath, "with Decepticons and the use of 'fool'!? What are you, Disney villains?"

Vortex's visor narrowed in distain. "I have no idea what you just said or what that even meant, but just shut up."

Mia cringed. "Rude."

Vortex sneered. "Well, look who found her steel! 'Bout time flesh bag, thought you'd have drown with all the wetness you let escape before."

Starscream found himself hissing "Enough." as he pushed himself to sit up. "What do you want, Vortex?"

"Told you. Onslaught send me. Here, drink." He snapped and shoved energon to Starscream as he came fully into the cell.

The door slammed shut behind Vortex and plunged them all back into the dim single light of the cell. Starscream glared as best he could and begrudgingly took the cube. "What does Ramjet want?" he asked, aiming to sound bored, but his voice was full of pain and misery.

Vortex huffed, annoyed and irritated as he turned to Mia, the tips of his claws brushing at the odd bend in her leg. "This need to set this," he groused then dropped the bag next to her, glaring at her leg with distain.

"Yeah," Mia said cautiously, giving him a suspicious look before poking at the bag Vortex discarded next to her. "What's this?"

Vortex continued to poke at her leg. "Food and water. Hurry up and eat."

Mia's green eyes lit up with gratitude, and excitement filled her, her previous rage draining away. Her little mouth fell open into an 'O' of surprise and she pulled herself a little taller to better drag the heavy sack towards her. "Where'd you get all this?" she asked with a wince as her leg shifted awkwardly and the pain fluttered in her belly.

Vortex sneered and turned to Starscream, the tips of his fingers pressing into his side and ignoring Starscream's indignant hiss. "Don't worry about it. Drink. The internet says you need water to live, and you need to mash things in your mouth for energy. So get to it."

Mia dug out a bottle of water excitedly with a little laugh. Starscream glanced nervously down at her laughter, and even Vortex paused at her bright "Can confirm!" before opening the water bottle and began to drink greedily.

Vortex shook his helm. "Did we break the little thing?" he asked bitterly at her sudden happiness.

Starscream snarled, hiding his own confusion at Mia's jumbled emotions. "Just do what you've come to do, then get out."

Another growl vibrated in the back of Vortex's throat, and he found himself shaking his helm at the little human as she happily chugged back the water. She took a breath, sucking back a gulp of air. "Thank you!" she gasped before going back to chugging water.

Pausing as he probed Starscream's side, Vortex looked down sharply at her and an odd feeling twisted his spark. No one had ever said thank you to him for anything. He snarled at her, optics glancing between her and Starscream. "Just drink!" he spat angrily before turning back to Starscream. "You too."

Giving Vortex one last uncertain look, Starscream relented and peeled open the cube. "So. Onslaught sent you?"

"Mhmm," was the non-committal noise Vortex made when he turned his attention back to Starscream's side. "Can't patch this up. Even Ramjet would notice if you weren't bleeding any more. I can set the fleshlings bones though. That mech only has two sparks plugs to power his processor, he won't notice its leg has been bandaged up."

Mia stopped drinking water long enough to say "Mia" before going back to sucking down all the water from the bottle, even when the plastic caved in on itself with the force.

Both Starscream and Vortex ignored her jumping into their conversation, and after sniffing his energon Starscream took a hesitant sip, not letting up his glare. "Why are you here?"

"Told you. Onslaught sent me." Vortex lifted a shoulder. "Let me see its leg."

Mia gave him an uncertain look, glancing to Starscream first. "It's Mia." She said again, a little more forcefully.

"Why would Onslaught send you to help us?" Starscream snapped when Vortex's visor narrowed on her.

Vortex snarled. "We don't have time for this! Ramjet is on his way! Now give me your fucking leg _Mia!_ "

Mia's green eyes went wide with sudden, bright fear and she scooted back and pressed herself against Starscream, trying to make herself as small as possible, shaking her head no. Vortex may have brought food and water, but in the end he was still a Decepticon.

Starscream glared and coolly finished his energon in a single painful gulp. "It's okay Mia." Starscream's optic sparked and yet he managed to maintain a bored indignation, despite the pain and bubbling fear. If Vortex was telling the truth they didn't have much time.

She fought the shake of her bones and managed to glare despite the over whelming fear that suddenly took her. Yes, she had done something to attempt to help his commander, but how much sway did that truly have? "We haven't the time to fight with unhinged Combaticons."

"If he's unhinged why I would let him touch my leg!" she spat, her heart beginning to pound a little harder.

"Tick Tock, Starscream." Vortex all by mocked, finding the sarcasm easier to handle than the little thing thanking him. "And I should get points for getting your _name_ right."

"He has steady hands. Give him your leg Mia. Hurry up." Starscream didn't stop glaring even as he finished his energon cube and crushed it.

Mia made a stubborn, mulish face at Starscream. "I don't like this plan. This is stupid." She nearly pouted. She still pushed her self away from Starscream's large frame and safety, trusting the Seeker. With a deep breath to steel herself she lay on her back and lifted her damaged leg up to Vortex; her thigh muscles doing all the work to pull her bent shin up towards him.

Snorting, the Combaticon gently pressed his index and middle finger on either side of Mia's tiny shin. "Well I could always just leave it." He pushed his rotors up a little higher. "Don't have to be nice like this. Ons said only to feed you."

"Then why are you helping me?" Mia asked, her voice losing its edge and her large green eyes nervously watching the Decepticon's fingers on either side of her leg.

Vortex looked down at her, visor making his face unreadable. "You tried to help Onslaught," he shrugged "this makes us even." Without warning pulled hard on her leg. Bone scrapped against bone as Vortex quickly forced them back into a semi straight position.

Pain burned once more through Mia and she arched her back away from the ground and shrieked, nails digging helplessly into the metal of the ship. They broke and tore, making her fingers bleed.

"You fucking asshole!" she sneered and fell backward, writhing on the metal. "You could have fucking warned me! That fucking hurt!"

Vortex shrugged and pulled two thin pieces of rusted metal slates and bandages from his subspace. "If I warned you, you would have tensed." Carefully, with a surprising amount of dexterity, Vortex pressed the two slats on either side of her broken leg and began to bandage as quickly as he could.

"Yeah!" Mia managed to croak, pressing the heels of her hands into her eyes, and Starscream managed to wince in sympathy. "But you do the fake Three-Two-One and pull on two! Not give no warning!"

"You'll survive." Vortex deadpanned and pushed himself to his pedes. "Ramjet should be here any time now. Keep your food hidden."

He turned to leave, and Starscream snarled again. "Why did Onslaught help us?" he called as the door to their cell opened.

Vortex shrugged before he left. "Maybe it's his way of saying thank you." He shrugged again. "Or maybe you're useless to us dead." He left without saying another word, plunging them both back into semi darkness.

"He's such a fucking asshole," Mia groused.

Starscream nodded with a sigh, settling in to wait anxiously for Ramjet to appear. Mia pressed herself back against his frame, the sack hidden away in the shadows and she knotted her fingers tightly in front of her. Just as anxious as Starscream, Mia was ghostly pale and afraid, her leg throbbing in a painful rhythm.

The wait wasn't long.

The door pulled open again and Ramjet's gleaming white armor shone from the door. Mia found herself shrinking back with a gulp against Starscream's leg as hateful red optics glared down at them, a cruel smile on his lips.

"You're lucky. Megatron has grown bored of torturing you and your little friend for today. Seems he's gotten his fill from the others as well." Ramjet smirked, licking his lips.

"You'll learn," Starscream rasped, optic sparking, "that Megatron is insatiable. When he comes for you next, you'd better only hope there is someone left to help you."

The smirk fell from Ramjet's face and was replaced with an angry sneer. "I'm going to do everything you did and more. Better even!" he snapped as he came into the room.

Starscream rolled his optics, making a show of it. "Of course you are," he drawled, making it sound mocking despite his position.

Mia's green eyes flashed up to him, always impressed that Starscream could still manage to sound unfazed by everything around him.

It rankled Ramjet. The white Seeker snarled and his optics burned with hate. "Fleshling." He barked an order. "Against the wall." He jabbed a thumb at the opposite wall, the one near the door. "Now."

Mia paused, swallowing hard before she tried to push herself to her feet, only to come crashing back down to the ground when her leg gave out from under her. Swallowing back a cry of pain, Mia forced back the tears that threaten to fall when pain shot through her and it felt like her bones were grinding against each other.

Ramjet made an impatient noise, and Mia managed to drag herself to the wall with effort, scooting along the ground with her hands and good leg. Every movement causing pain to burn through her body and the air around her seemed colder the further away from Starscream she got. Only when Mia reached the wall did green eyes glance back once to dim crimson, but Starscream was focused on Ramjet, his pain hidden by a smirk and Mia marveled.

Ramjet glared right back until Mia twisted and pressed her back against the cold, damp metal of the cell. Vortex had been right, Ramjet hadn't noticed her bandaged leg. Green eyes suddenly narrowed at his back and she glanced to the open door. Green eyes glanced back to Starscream who was still focused on Ramjet, but still shook his helm no.

Gritting her teeth and using the wall as leverage, Mia forced herself to stand. She pushed up with her good leg and dug her hands into the wall at her back until she stood. It took effort that left her panting and leaning heavily against the wall, but Mia was standing.

"Get up," Ramjet hissed, missing the shake from Starscream's helm. "We're going to the Hole."

Mia frowned, not knowing what that was but she didn't like the sound of it. Ramjet may have missed the flicker of fear, but Mia hadn't.

"Oh good," Starscream drawled as the fear flickered away back to annoyance. "I needed a break from the fleshling."

Distancing himself in hopes to spare her. Mia pressed herself against the wall and glanced again to the open door, gritting her teeth.

Ramjet stalked into the room, grabbing Starscream by his scruff bar to haul him to his feet. Starscream allowed himself to be hauled upright and his arm twisted awkwardly behind him with a too tight grip. His red optics glanced once to Mia before he was marched from the room; one strong hand gripping Starscream's arm, and twisting it behind his back and Ramjet's other hand clamped on the back of his neck.

As Starscream was shoved from the room, Mia twisted her body so that she rolled along the wall, using it as leverage and slipping out the door before it slid shut behind them, falling to the floor in her hurry to get out of the cell.

Swallowing hard she froze, expecting someone to say something, raise some kind of alarm at the fact that she had literally just escaped their cell.

Instead Ramjet shoved Starscream forward. "Move."

Mia stayed plastered to the ground for a full cycle of breath before as she watched Ramjet roughly guild Starscream down the hall. Bright purple energon splashing to the floor every time Starscream took a step and it reignited the anger in Mia's belly. She shoved herself back to her feet, leaning heavily into the wall, Mia glared after Ramjet.

Steeling herself, Mia limped after them, using the wall to stay up she tried to follow along. Pain shot up her leg with every step on her broken leg, the bones shifting painfully and she sucked back air with every painful step.

Yet she shuffled along after them determined to stay with Starscream, moving as quickly as her broken leg would allow. She grit her teeth and tried to keep up until Ramjet shoved him around a corner and Mia lost sight of them. Cursing, she hurried along, following the blood trail Starscream left behind.

Turning the same corner, Mia froze and fear swelled in her throat and she stopped breathing. Two massive Decepticons, one huge with black and purple armor and the other much smaller with black and red armor stood like walls in the hallway.

"Dead End," the massive one hissed as Mia slowly moved her whole body against the wall, pressing her back into the dark metal. Her green eyes were huge and afraid, and Mia was sure they would hear her heart pounding in her chest. "I have told you before, stop messing around with that Combaticon. How many times have I told you!"

"Well…" Dead End started slowly, arms crossed defensively over his chest. "He's just got this tight little aft-" whatever else Dead End was going to say was cut off when the large mech struck him across the helm.

The sound of metal on metal echoed in the hallway and Mia flinched.

"Well that was unnecessary, Motormaster." Dead End sounded annoyed. "Besides, what does it matter? We are all going to die. Might as well enjoy it a little."

Mia swallowed hard. Motormaster should be able to see her, but he didn't. Instead he sneered and struck Dead End again, harder this time and in the face.

Mia winced and continued to silently inch down the wall, green eyes pinned to the two large Decepticons as she followed her hands to the corner and slipped away down another hall, relief filling her and she sagged against the wall. Swallowing hard, she saw two thick drops of energon and was just about to follow them when another pair of large mechs rounded the corner and walked by. Mia swallowed back the surprised cry and flattened herself back against the wall and held her breath, hoping they would miss her as well.

"No listen, Blitz this is bad this time. I heard a rumor of what he did to Onslaught."

They walked by, never once looking down to the floor, so deeply involved in their conversation and that was when Mia realized that she was just too small to be noticed. An insect amongst giants. A smirk turned into a devious smile. The Autobot's had gotten used to always looking down when they walk to ensure they didn't step on any little friends. Decepticons had no reason to look down.

So long as she kept still, they had no reason to notice her pressed against a dark wall. She just needed to _not_ draw attention to herself.

Waiting until the two Decepticon's rounded the next corner Mia pushed herself off the wall and limped across the hall to press against the opposite wall. She slinked along that wall and rounded another corner, following the blood droplets of energon.

On and on Mia went, the drops becoming smaller and more spaced out, and Mia saw more and more of life on Megatron's ship, her stomach churned with each new encounter.

Soundwave with his hand plastered over his cracked chest plates, the glass covered with a spider web crack that touched all four corners. Bludgeon carrying a broken sword, and looking a little worse for wear. She passed the Coneheads bragging about what they had done to Starscream and how the 'Hole' would break him.

They laughed at how they wanted to break him themselves.

Gritting her teeth, Mia pushed on, hobbling on her broken leg. She forced herself to move deeper into the depths of the _Nemesis_ , pausing between doors and pushing herself hard to get through them when she was afforded the chance.

She would fret when she was forced to wait between doors, forced to wait until someone had to come through.

When she came to the final hall, Mia grit her teeth and forced herself down the dank, damp hall to a dark room. Pain burned through her body, it made her vision swim and she felt sick. She fought to keep the food Vortex gave her down as she finally allowed her leg to give out from under her when she arrived to the dark, dank room that simply had to be the Hole. At first Mia didn't understand what she was seeing and it took her a moment to understand she was staring at a cell of sorts. Something from a horror movie.

The cell, if it could even be called that, was two panels of metal that someone had welded around a leak in the ship's hull. Mia could hear the water dripping onto rattling plates and over a very soft sobbing.

The door, a thick slab of steel and a heavy lock was slapped between narrow slit in the wall where the victim could only stand, compressed in at all sides.

Mia swallowed hard and inched into the dank room, pulling herself along the floor, and looked up at the cell that looked like it had been made from an old storage room with a door that did not close properly any longer. The rust from constantly dripping water having taking its toll and allowing Mia to drag herself inside.

"Starscream?" she whispered, approaching the cell. Pressing her hand to the cold, damp metal, she heard the sobbing stop. "Starscream, are you in there?"

Starscream didn't hear Mia's soft voice on the other side of the thick metal as he pressed into one of the walls of the Hole. Panic bubbled from his chest and that made it hard to think, made it hard to hang onto his slipping sanity. His frame hurt and he felt woozy from his injuries and the Hole simply amplified everything.

"Starscream?" Mia's soft voice came muffled through the thick metal.

"M-Mia?" He questioned softly, a soft sob breaking his voice.

Mia shoved herself to her feet once more and limped to the weird cell, tucking herself into the side and hiding in the shadows. "It's okay Starscream. It's…it's okay."

Another muffled sob rattled wetly from the other side of steel and Starscream pressed his helm into the wet wall. His knees shook and trembled, panic welling in his spark and fear made him hurt. He couldn't think beyond the tight walls, the fact his wings were pressed into the wall at his back and the darkness that pressed into him.

It was meant to break him. It was meant to make him weak and easier to manipulate, and Megatron wanted him weak.

"It's okay Starscream." Mia's voice cut though the darkness. "Offline your optics. Just…just listen to my voice. We're going to go home soon."

Clinging to that, Starscream's vents hiccupped. "Scared." He admitted through the metal.

Emotion, guilt, swelled in Mia's chest and her own green eyes watered at the admission. This was her fault, Starscream could have escaped or fought back without her there.

Her voice wavered, but she licked her lips and took a breath. "It's okay." She repeated. "It's okay to be scared. Everyone gets scared, you've just gotta keep…gotta keep going. That's all."

"We're never getting home." Starscream whispered through the thick metal, and the darkness compressed in on him, his wings scraping on the walls of the Hole.

Trapped. He was trapped and going to die in a dark little hole at the bottom of the ocean.

"We are!" Mia suddenly declared fiercely. "We are going to go home. Just don't give up on me yet Starscream. We're going to go home."

An engine hitching was all the response that Starscream gave her, and Starscream so badly wanted to believe her. He wanted to go home. He wanted to be with Thundercracker and Skywarp. He wanted to get to know them all over again and teach the Arielbots what it meant to be a Vosiarian.

He wanted to get to really know the Prime and return to Cybertron to rebuild. He wanted the peace he had tasted.

He didn't want Mia to die.

"Please don't leave me." He whispered brokenly, voice thick with fear.

"I won't." Mia promised as leaned against the wet metal. "I'm right here."

Mia felt the last tear fall and that something hard and dark twisted her heart. "Did I ever tell you about the time I was shot?"

There was a beat of silence and Starscream fought hard to bring himself back mentally. "No." he rasped.

"Well. You stay with me Starscream and I'll tell you all about it."

Starscream nodded before responding. "Just keep talking." If she kept talking he could pretend they were in the cell and he had room to stretch out. He could almost feel it. The space behind his back, his wings spread wide and his legs spread wide so he could relax. He could almost feel the dampness of their cell and not the dripping of water from overhead.

He could almost imagine he was dry.

"Well. We were in Vegas." Mia began, her fingers touching the scarred flesh in her shoulder where the bullet had passed through. The scar in her scalp itched and she could almost feel the pull of stitches. "And I was running interference for our crew, when we hit a snag."

Starscream allowed himself this one pleasure and her soothing voice washed over him, soothing his mind and he was able to get lost in her soft voice as she told horror stories of her youth. It grounded him and he could feel his fragile mind begin to piece itself back together.

Starscream doubted they would be leaving the _Nemesis_ alive, but they'd give Megatron hell before they finally went.

But.

But maybe they'd get out. Starscream doubted it.

But.

But Callie brought Thundercracker home. Danny brought Sunstreaker home. Maybe they could save each other and Mia could bring him home. Stranger things had happened.

Mia kept talking in her soft, quiet voice, and Starscream clung to the thought of _but what if_.


	8. I'm on Fire

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_** **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Firstly, I would like to extend a huge thank you to SunnySideofBlue for betaing this chapter. They've done an amazing job, and you should all go checkout SunnySideofBlue's stuff of A03.

Secondly, thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I've been struggling with this chapter and seeing those reviews really encouraged me to keep going.

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Drift looked out the window of their ship and finally allowed his lips to curl into a smile, his shoulders sagging as he released a long sigh from his vents. The Decepticon ship they had stolen shuddered and shook, one thruster popping and sputtering, but somehow still functioned. It had been pure luck that it had not blown up at takeoff, and Drift quietly held concerns that it would fall apart on re-entry.

Pressing his hand to the cool glass of the window, the Autobot clenched his jaw and tried not to grind his denta at the sight of the little blue and green world; fear and excitement swirled in his tanks, and he was certain his anxiety was going to be the end of him.

They were almost three vorns late, without communication, but they had finally made it to Optimus's rendezvous point, and where the current Autobot command was stationed. It had been a long, difficult road to get here, but they would finally reunite with the rest of the Autobots on this strange organic world.

Drift glanced down at his white and red armor and frowned, that little ball of anxious lead feeling heavier in his tanks at the sight of himself. His armor was dented, damaged, and looked more grey than white with the amount of grime that coated him. There was no operational washrack on the _Floating Stars_ – the ship had been in for repairs when they _borrowed_ it, after all – and Drift had been less surprised and annoyed by this than the others.

He usually didn't mind being dirty; as a former Decepticon he was a little more used to dealing with unpleasant situations and less than necessary hygienic needs, but he was going to be seeing Perceptor soon. He wanted to be presentable, at the very least.

Behind him a mech clasped his shoulder and Kup squeezed in beside him to look out at the planet. "Stop fretting, kid," Kup gentled. "He's gonna be happy ta see ya."

Drift's dented and dirty helm tilted to look at Kup and the older mech's offered smile. "It's been a long time." He rasped, damage to his throat that had not been repaired yet making it difficult to talk. "What if he's moved on?"

Kup snorted. "Please. That mech loves ya and would wait far longer than ah couple of vorns for ya ta come home."

Drift managed a comforted smile, but didn't quite believe it himself.

"Besides!" it was Hot Rod who pouted from behind them, piloting them towards the planet. "We're in a 'Con ship with damaged communications. Prime is probably gonna blow us outta the sky before we even get within the atmosphere."

Twin Twist snorted. "What a way to go. Friendly fire."

Drift frowned at his team, disheartened, shifting his stance and cringing at the grime that scraped against his cables. They weren't….wrong.

Kup barked a laugh. "Oh younglings. Ya think this is tha first time this has happened?"

"No." Roadbuster yawned behind them, his massive frame packed tightly in a too small space. "This happened before on Yarmin 5." His massive shoulders scraped the roof of the small ship every time he so much as shifted, now leaving the tops of his shoulders bare of any paint.

"That's right!" Kup barked. "That's why it's standard procedure to _not_ shoot ships outta the sky. Don't know if it's one of yur own."

Hot Rod rolled his optics. "So how do we confirm that it is us? This ship doesn't have enough juice to land efficiently, if we can land at all it's going to be a rough landing. I would rather not have the rescue party come guns blazing."

Kup laughed again. "Drift, think you can get a message to that mate of yours?"

Pausing, Drift gave a little nod. "Think so. Still too far right now, but I'll start reaching out as soon as we're closer to the planet."

Kup nodded. "Good! Ready to be off this tin can and back into the thick of it! Hope Prime hasn't won the war yet!"

"Yeah, cuz that'd be a shame if he did," Hot Rod groused, homing in on the _Ark's_ signature.

Drift shook his helm at Kup's laughter and quietly fretted about what to tell Perceptor when he saw him. The mech quietly wished Sunstreaker had been with them, then at least he would be clean when he saw him.

* * *

Mia fought to stay stone-faced as she was carried down the halls of the _Nemesis_. She tried to channel her rage into the cold indifference Starscream could pull off so easily. She was mostly successful, but she couldn't stop the grinding of her teeth every time Ramjet so much as made a noise.

The night prior had been a long one, and Mia had talked Starscream through the majority of his panic and fear. She talked until her throat went hoarse and sore, and even then she kept talking to him. Even when she was sure she tasted blood at the back of her throat, she kept on talking in a gentle, soft voice. Each time she finished one story the Seeker would ask for another, keeping his mind from the walls that enclosed him and the water that dripped from overhead.

She told stories until Ramjet returned to drag Starscream from his cell. Mia had frozen and remained tiny and unseen as the white Seeker opened the door, expecting Starscream to be a quivering mess.

The smirk that fell from Ramjet's face and was replaced with sheer disbelief had been worth Mia's voice when Starscream had pushed himself from the Hole, shaky with blood loss but his mind intact. The tri-colored seeker had glared coldly at his former subordinate before a sly smirk replaced the coldness and Starscream offered his mangled servos to Ramjet in surrender.

Ramjet's servos had shaken as he took Starscream back to their cell, making Mia grin the whole time as she followed along behind them. Starscream slowed his walk, wobbling into Ramjet to slow him down to allow Mia to keep up with them, even on her broken leg. The tricky part had been when they arrived back to their cell, but when the door opened Starscream had bought her enough time for her to slip back inside as though she had never left.

Ramjet had shoved Starscream into the cell and fled quickly, muttering about his crazy air commander who wasn't bothered by the Hole. Only when they were sure they were alone did Starscream let himself to collapse to the floor of their cell and allowed Mia to drag herself to him and curl up next to his cheek.

They had lain shaking and trembling on the floor of the cell, clinging as best they could to each other, Starscream's broken _Thank you_ repeated over and over again until recharge finally took him. Mia had stayed awake as long as she could to guard him, but eventually a fitful sleep claimed her as well.

When she woke up, she had been cradled in Starscream's hand with a dim crimson optic staring down at her. There had been a half smile on his face and it had been the softest look she had ever seen him direct at her

Mia couldn't help but smile back.

"Thanks." Starscream had rasped, for once not throwing biting sarcasm at her.

Nodding, the redhead's smile widened as she slowly pushed herself to a sitting position. "Welcome."

Starscream shook his helm at the crazy little human and a comforting silence settled between them. Something had changed between them after the Hole, a bond that neither wanted to try to explain. Starscream had been calmer. Steadier. Ready for when they came for them again. He didn't seem to…hate her anymore.

Mia had seen him at his worst, at his weakest and didn't judge him based on that. She didn't think Starscream to be pathetic or a waste, and had put herself in jeopardy to ensure his mind stayed intact. Starscream should have found himself uncomfortable with that fact, but instead felt himself accepting of the idea that maybe others didn't have to hate him. That not everybody wanted something from him, that maybe even a small human like Mia could simply…like him.

He'd snorted at the sappiness of it all and settled more comfortably against the wall.

Mia was sure they had won that round. Starscream hadn't broken, and if they could only hang on a few more days the Autobot's would come looking for them. Her sisters would come looking. Optimus would come looking.

They just had to hang on.

That was what Mia kept thinking to herself as Ramjet carried her, _just hand on a little longer_. They just had to last.

Fighting with herself to not look over her shoulder to check up on Starscream, Mia huffed with fake indifference and crossed her arms. She put her nose up in the air and tried to ignore the Decepticon that kept casting her dirty looks.

Starscream watched Mia from over Ramjet's shoulder, and despite his cold face he bristled with pride. Mia wasn't crying this time, she looked annoyed if anything. She looked cold and angry, and she could use that. The night before had been a surprise for both of them, Starscream couldn't believe she had found him in the Hole, that she walked on that broken leg, showed grit he didn't think her capable of.

They had spent the morning quietly talking, planning their survival mostly, although for Starscream it was mostly to entertain Mia. He still wasn't convinced he was going to survive, but it kept Mia busy until the coneheads came to retrieve them.

"We're going to kill him." Ramjet mock whispered to Mia, red optics glancing behind him to smirk at Starscream.

Rolling his optics, Starscream huffed at Ramjet, more concerned for his ruined servos and cracked tank than Ramjet's threats.

Mia didn't rise to the bait. She mimicked Starscream's huff and sat herself a little taller and tilted her face away. The seeker could see her irritated expression, carefully set. There was still a flicker of fear in her eyes, but her fear didn't control her, she controlled it.

"Seriously, I'm going to rip his wings off. Pull his internals out and make him eat his own fuel pump." Ramjet mocked, mouth curling into a smirk.

Mia's face went red with anger, darkening and becoming mulish. Starscream could see her bite her own tongue to stay silent, and he willed her to stay quiet.

"I'm gonna hurt him little fleshling. I'm going to make him scream before I kill him."

Mia's darkened face finally turned up to Ramjet, looking very unimpressed and that twisted thing in her chest throbbed painfully. Starscream watched as she feinted confusion and innocents. "But wouldn't that be Megatron's honor? You wouldn't want to take that from him, would you?"

Starscream sucked in a vent and his crimson optic went bright with panic and he tensed to stop Ramjet from killing her. Fear he had only previously felt for his trine mates filled him, and his head snapped towards Ramjet to gage his reaction.

Ramjet seemed to have that particular thought, and he raised his other hand over her, as though to slap his hands together to turn her into a red smear. She looked up at him with not quite a smirk. "Careful now. My death also belongs to Megatron." Then she smiled brightly up at him, at his shocked face with a careful innocents that Starscream was sure is what made her useful as a car thief.

Ramjet's sneered at her and dropped his hand back to his side. Mia looked away from Ramjet, eyes catching Starscream's optics. He shot her a look, optic flashing. She seemed to get the message and gave him a little nod. _Don't draw attention to yourself! Be quiet._

 _Don't get over confident._

Starscream was panting softly by the time they had reached their destination from the distance he had been forced to walk to the war room, his strength fading faster and faster. Pain shot up his side from the crack in his tank and up his arms from his ruined hands. His one optic sparked and made his vision swim, making him feel sick, but he refused to let it show. His vents were still wet and his one functioning optic was dim and fading to white.

Despite all that, Mia had kept his mind intact after the Hole and he felt more prepared to cope with whatever Megatron would throw at them. He felt saner then he ever had while on _Nemesis_ , and that was all thanks to Mia.

Starscream felt a strange calmness flow through him as they were marched into the war room. Mia was roughly dropped onto the table and she hissed through her teeth as pain shot up her damaged leg. Tears sprung to her eyes when she landed and she fought the nausea caused by the pain as her legs gave out. Her fingers curled into the metal of the table as she fought to control her breathing and swallowed back the bile.

Starscream's pedes were kicked out from under him and he hit the ground with a grunt as Megatron strode into the war room with a smirk. A pair of shackles were cuffed uncomfortably around his wrists keeping his arms pinned painfully behind him. He glanced uncertainly to Mia on the table, worried that she was still curled up in her ball of pain. Ramjet attached a thick chain to his shackles that kept him pinned to the ground, and it was short enough to keep him on his knees. Unable to stand or defend himself from the coming attack.

A dim red optic tore from Mia to glare up at Megatron from under his helm as the titan strode around the bound seeker, Megatron frowning at Starscream. His massive grey helm tilted to one side as he examined Starscream's position, making a small noise of uncertainty.

"You should be a quivering, frightened mess." Megatron mused as he took another step closer to Starscream. He gave a little, unexpected sigh of disappointment. "Perhaps your little pet is making you think you will get to leave the _Nemesis_. I assure you, you will not leave by your own accord." Another step brought him within a hair's width from the seeker, and it took everything in Starscream to not flinch away.

"You have disappointed me, Starscream." Megatron said softly, a massive hand reaching out to gently pet the side of Starscream's cheek. The seeker didn't dare move as a thumb gently stroked over the living silicone of his face, softly as though they were lovers.

Starscream swallowed hard. He remembered this game and knew what was coming next and he wished Mia had been left behind in their cell.

Megatron moved suddenly, fist making contact with the side of Starscream's jaw and sent him almost to the floor. Blood energon spewed from his mouth as his head snapped to the side with the blow, and he didn't allow himself to fight it, moving with the hit and trying to lessen the damage. Starscream was only vaguely aware of Mia's sharp scream as stars burst behind his optics.

Slowly rolling his helm back around to face Megatron, Starscream spat a clot of energon to the floor between them, crimson optic glaring. "I remember you used to hit harder." he managed with a smirk.

The second blow did not come as much a surprise, and it snapped his head in the other direction with a crack, his damaged optic finally shattering in crimson shards that tinged softly on the metal decking.

"I stand by my previous observation." He smirked as he rolled his head back towards Megatron, one optic still bright and devious despite the pain. Mia swallowed hard and forced herself to relax despite the anxious ball in her belly. Blood energon poured from the cut in Starscream's mouth, smearing his chin and cheek in purple.

Megatron scoffed, his field rippling with rage and impatience. The ball of fear in Starscream's chest tightened and felt like lead despite the defiant look as Megatron wrapped his hand around the seeker's throat. "I know how to hurt you Starscream. I know how to break you. This time however?" the titan shook his head, a predatory smirk crawling across his mouth. "This time you won't pull yourself back together."

Starscream wheezed and hissed at the pressure at his throat, but still managed a few words as his side vents and pectoral vents heaved wetly. "Promises, promises."

Face darkening and contorting in anger, Megatron tsk'ed and shoved Starscream away from him and straightened. "You never shut up." He snarled and his foot shot out, heel slamming into Starscream's nasal structure.

There was a sickening _crack_ as the seeker's nose broke and the impact sent him awkwardly onto his back, forcing his arms to realign themselves as he fell and his legs to fold painfully under him. Starscream coughed up more energon as he struggled to get back up unsuccessfully.

Mia swallowed back the little gasp, her hands slapping over her mouth to hide her shock as she watched Starscream groan, seeming to be having trouble getting his limbs to cooperate with him. Megaton snarled when the seeker managed to get up to a single elbow and the larger Decepticon moved to hoover over him, shoving him back down and roughly grabbed at a white calf and pulled. Starscream's leg came out from under him and Megatron readjusted his grip to hang onto the back of the seeker's knee.

Starscream's helm spun a little and he tried to pull his leg back from Megatron's firm grip as the titan pulled the seeker's other leg out from under him with a jerking yank. Pushing his legs apart, Megatron forced his way between them and Starscream felt a cold, familiar sensation trickle down his spinal struts.

"No!" he spat and struggled weakly against the titans hold, fear driving him on even though his processor felt sluggish from the blow.

Megatron smiled. "I thought this would wake you up." Claws like razors, the same claws that ripped away Onslaught's interface panel did the same to Starscream. It was brutal and quick, tearing the living metal from his frame. Fear dulled the pain and Starscream didn't bother reacting. Like Onslaught before him, Starscream knew something far more painful awaited him.

A crimson optic flickered to Mia and found her frozen on her knees, her face pale and her eyes bright with horror and helpless rage. That broken thing, that lump in her chest that ached behind her breast bone never to go back to where it had been before, throbbed.

* * *

The remainder of this scene has been removed for not meeting Fan fictions rules. If you would like to read the remainder of this chapter it can be found on Archive of Our own under the same pen name, AcidGreenFlames.

* * *

Still as she could be, Mia didn't dare move anything besides her eyes, tracking the Cybertronians' movement across the war room. She didn't dare make a noise until the door swished shut and she was plunged into darkness. Alone and forgotten on the table with only the blood energon that Starscream had shed.

Her bottom lip finally trembled and horror filled her chest. Bile role from her belly and she scrambled for the edge of the table as she felt what little food she had been given coming up. Vomit splashed to the floor so far below, yellow and thin. She coughed hard, spitting to the floor plates below and a broken sob rattled from her chest.

Disgusted by what had been done to Starscream, the way he had been hurt and abused, Mia felt her helplessness fill her. They…she vomited again, the yellow bile splashing to the ground in a pool. Starscream had been raped. Her friend had suffered so greatly, had been abused and left bleeding. Megatron had ensured the seeker's humiliation by making his charge bear witness to his pain. They had done horrific things to him, and they were going to…

"NO!" Mia hissed, despite the bitterness in her mouth and the hurt in her heart. She pushed herself away from the edge with a grunt and glared towards the door.

She may not be as brave as Danny or as smart as Callie, but Mia was more than just a pretty face. She may not be as smart or as brave, but that twisted thing in her chest felt like razor wire. Determination filled her, and she would find a way home.

"I'm going to kill him." She hissed to herself, two tears slipping past her clenched eye lids to fall onto her hand.

Furious green eyes snapped open, and rage filled her. She had to figure out how to get from this table and find her way to Starscream. Somehow. Someway, she would find her way to him and help keep him mind intact.

It was the least she could do.

It was all she could do.

"How?" she wondered out loud to herself, crawling to the edge of the table and looking down at the chair that seemed so far away. Glancing to her broken leg, Mia grit her teeth. How was she going to get down?

It never dawned on her how much she had changed. How much she had hardened since they had been captured by Megatron.

She flinched as the door opened, and a dark shadow covered her. She turned to glare at the mech's that stood over her, shoulders hunched up around her ears. Green eyes narrowed and a dark, mulish look contorted her face. "Who the hell are you?" she spat, despite the uncertainty.

* * *

Red Alert hurried down the halls of the _Ark_ , bumping into other mechs in his haste, barley stepping _over_ humans as he almost ran. He wouldn't do something as basic as running, that was beneath him most of the time, but today, he was pretty close.

It wasn't every day that Prime called him to the command deck. Something was happening. Something _bad_.

He zipped around a corner, bumping into Ironhide in his rush, only to quickly blow past him and his grunting. Red Alert made an annoyed noise as he picked up speed, arriving at Optimus's control center much later then he intended. He slipped inside the room even before the door had fully pulled open and hurried over to the waiting mechs.

Optimus Prime and Prowl stood before a table, looking at a human map. Epps was on the table, hands on his hips and frowning.

Prime glanced up and nodded. "Red Alert," he greeted politely. "We are waiting for Ironhide to join us."

Bouncing on his toes, Red Alert nodded, nerves making his audial struts spark a little. "Yes Sir."

"Donna bother wait'n on meh. Ah'm here." Ironhide smirked as he strode calmly into the room, taking his place on Optimus's other side.

Red Alert gave Ironhide a dirty look that was met with a confident smirk as the large red mech eased himself next to the Prime. "Gotta be quick Prime, I'mma late fer a tea date."

Epps snorted and gave the weapons master a grin. "Do you have to put your pinky up 'Hide?"

Ironhide snorted. "I don' do anything by halfs, Epps. 'Course Ah lift mah pinky. Wadda think Ah am?"

Epps laughed. "Wrapped firmly around the fingers of two little girls."

Blue optics rolled. "Whatever." Large red arms crossed over his chest. "Those kids are cute." His voice grew a little smaller. "An' Ah promised 'Warp that'd Ah keep an optic on Lucy.

Epps laughed again, to which Prowl cleared his throat. "Gentlemen? We do have important matters to discuss."

Still smirking, both Ironhide and Epps turned their attention back to Prime and Prowl, relaxing their stances.

Prowl's wings were still high, his shoulders and tense with worry. "We've detected an incoming ship heading for Earth. It's a small Decepticon mining vehicle coming from the Hecate Galaxy. We are still too far for radio contact so we cannot confirm whether its cargo is Decepticon or Autobot."

Red Alert frowned. "The Wreckers were last heard of in the Hecate Galaxy. Could be them? It wouldn't be the first time they've had to steal a ship to come home."

Prowl looked worried, but Optimus nodded. "It could be. I hope it is. They've been gone too long. We'll need to let Ratchet know to expect injuries."

"This could also be a trap." Prowl said suddenly. "We do not know for sure that it is the Wreckers, and with most of our forces out on a training mission we would be at a severe disadvantage."

"Maybe we need to call them back?" Epps suggested, frowning.

Prowl frowned and considered it. "Perhaps." He said slowly. "They do need that training however. It is beneficial. I believe it would make more sense to put the base on high alert until we can determine if the incoming space craft is friendly or not."

Optimus nodded. It made sense logically, but something tugged at him. Something felt …off. Like a pressure in his chest, right next to the Matrix. He thought that maybe, perhaps, they should call the troops back. Something just didn't feel right.

Heaving a sigh, Optimus nodded and pushed his uncertainty away. "Put the base on high alert. I want everyone ready to move in the event the ship carrying new Decepticons or wounded Autobots. Let's be ready for anything."

His command staff nodded, and it still just didn't feel like the right thing to do despite being the most logical. Maybe, Optimus thought, they should bring everyone back in from the field. It wouldn't take much, a quick radio out to the troops, get everyone's location and have them return.

He quickly pushed that thought away, and focused on the task at hand.


	9. That was Unexpected

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' _ **Blah**_ **'** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

Authors Note: Once again, thank you so much to SunnySideofBlue who edited this chapter and all their advice for editing! I would encourage everyone to head over to their page and read all their stuff as well!

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Aleyah gripped onto Perceptor's shoulder plating, allowing herself to sway with his steps as he chatted with Bluestreak.

"I think that's really cool that you're teaching Aleyah how to shoot! We need more sharpshooters and skilled help! I mean, there are so many frontliners and ground troops, we need more long range help, you know, to help keep the frontliners safe."

Bluestreak smiled brightly at Aleyah. "I'm super glad that you're gonna be a part of our team. It's hard work, but we're the last line of defense for the helpless and the first ones to protect our team mates."

"It's science." Perceptor said with a smile as he led Bluestreak out to the mess hall. "Math, and once you understand math it's not…" Perceptor suddenly froze, his words coming slowly. "…as complicated as it looks."

He was stiff and still, his mouth falling open into an 'O' of surprise, blue optics blinking.

"You okay Perceptor?" Bluestreak asked, his own words slowing in concern.

"It's him," He said suddenly, a smile spreading slowly across his face.

That was all the warning Aleyah got before Perceptor did a sudden about face and _sprinted_ from the mess hall. Aleyah always thought she was above yelps and screeches, but when she nearly fell from Perceptor's shoulder Aleyah shrieked, the noise high and shrill as she clung to red shoulder plates.

Bluestreak's startled cry called out after him, but Perceptor ignored him as he ran from the mess hall. He paused, only momentarily, to scoop Aleyah from his shoulder before he bolted for Optimus's control centre.

"Perceptor, what is it?" Aleyah tried to call over the sound of wind rushing passed her and she was forced to cling to Perceptor's thumb.

He didn't, or couldn't, respond but Aleyah didn't fear his rushing at the sight of pure delight on her friends face.

Preceptor ran all the way to the control room, fist raising to pound on the door with hard thumps. It opened to a very confused Blaster, who cocked his head to the side, his mouth open to ask what was wrong before Preceptor's excited voice cut through Blaster's question. "Is Prime here?"

Blaster blinked slowly, head shaking no. "Sorry 'Cepter. Last I saw Prime, he and Prowl were discussing something about an incoming ship, heading into Prowl's off-"

"Thank you!" Preceptor burst out, barley getting that out before he spun and bolted back down the hall.

Aleyah shrieked again and clung tighter to the Autotbot's thumb. "Perceptor! What are you doing?" she tried to call over the rushing wind, starting to feel nauseous from being held by a much larger creature as he ran.

Preceptor laughed and again didn't answer her question in his haste, excitement filling his spark and joy making him feel like his chest would burst. He just couldn't form the words as he hurried on to Prowl's office, hammering his fist onto the door when he arrived.

The door opened and Prowl's displeased face greeted them. His door wings held high with annoyance, and just over his shoulder Perceptor could see the big green tree that Danny had bought Prowl. Yet, even Prowl's icy, angry blue optics couldn't detract from his sheer joy.

Prowl opened his mouth to speak, but Perceptor was faster. "It's the Wreckers! It's Drift! He's on that ship!"

Aleyah looked up, eyes wide and her mouth open, any previous annoyance at her friend draining and replaced with a shocked joy. "Wait, your boyfriend?" she asked from his hand.

Blue optics finally looked down at her and the scientist looked a little puzzled that she was still with him, almost as though he had forgotten he had taken her with him. Yet that surprise was quickly replaced with a soft, bright grin. "Yes," He said breathlessly. "It's Drift."

Prowl paused, the dressing down that he'd been preparing chocked back and suspicion rose. Prime rose from his seat to join his second in command at the door.

"You are sure, Perceptor?" Prowl asked softly, not bothering to hide his suspicion.

Perceptor's head bobbed in a nod. "Yes. I just received a transmission from Drift. The more injured of the Wreckers are Earth bound. Drift, Kup, Hot Rod, Twin Twist and Road Buster. They are aiming for the _Ark_ but their ship is damaged, they will overshoot and land closer to Decepticon territory."

Prime and Prowl both shared a look, and Perceptor knew they already knew about the incoming ship. His smile fell. "You know." He said slowly as the realization dawned on him.

"We were about to put the base on high alert," Prowl said slowly. "We were unsure if it was a friendly ship or not."

"It's friendly," Perceptor insisted, his excitement dying and his voice becoming firm. "I want to lead a team to retrieve them."

"Perceptor, this could be a trap," Optimus said carefully. "I know you care about Drift, but we must be cautious about this. We can't assume that it is Drift with a single transmission."

"It's him! I know it is."

"How?" Prowl demanded, wings arching higher again.

"He-" Perceptor faltered and his face heated with embarrassment, and he averted his optics.

"I'm going with him!" Aleyah declared suddenly from his hand, drawing the attention of the Autobot leaders, her tiny fists on her hips, her face pinching in annoyance. Determined.

"Neither of you are going," Prowl said calmly, and Aleyah wondered how Danny could like such a cold mech. Her face reddened with frustration, and a retort was on the tip of her tongue. "We still have no evidence that this is not a trap."

"He told me about the last time we interfaced," Perceptor said in a rush, his face going so warm he felt like it would melt. "In detail that only Drift would know."

Aleyah's face swiftly went from irritation to confusion to amusement. She barked a laugh, much to Perceptor's horror. "Perceptor, you play-ah."

"Yes, well, either way! I know it is Drift, and I know he needs assistance," Energon rushed to his cheeks so readily he was sure he was glowing a fine pink. "And I am going for him one way or another. I abandoned him once, I won't do so again."

"Perceptor, you didn't abandon him," Optimus tried to start, but he was quickly cut off.

"I did! I should have been with the Wreckers when they went for Kup and I wasn't. So I shall make sure that I am there when he comes home." Perceptor felt his servos shaking and knew Aleyah had to feel it as well. He was grateful she didn't mention it.

"I'm going with him!" Aleyah said again, this time firmer than before, and Prowl did not doubt that Aleyah was Danny's younger sister.

Optimus sighed and glanced between Perceptor and Aleyah. "All right Perceptor. We shall go get the Wreckers."

Perceptor's optics lit up and his smile crawled back across his mouth, despite Prowl's alarmed look.

"Ironhide and I will join you." Optimus said, raising a hand to quiet Prowl's argument before he could really start. "Prowl, you will put the base on high alert. We are only a comm away if we need assistance. If you do not hear from us by a designated time, bring an assault team out to find us, but we cannot leave Autobots abandoned in Decepticon territory."

Prowl looked miserable at the thought, and huffed an annoyed sigh. "Yes Prime." Already his battle computer was calculating the odds of this endeavor being a trap and how many ways it could go wrong. "I will start preparing the assault team." He was firm and polite, but Perceptor could tell Prowl was unhappy with the arrangement.

The tactician managed to slip from his office and hurried down the hall to find the few Autobots and NEST operatives that were not a part of the training mission.

Optimus turned blue optics back to Perceptor before Prowl had even disappeared down the hall. "Perceptor, take Aleyah and get her ready for this afternoon. Arm her _appropriately_ in the event we need assistance during a fire fight."

Perceptor nodded, his giddy excitement returning. "Yes Prime, I have just the thing!"

The scientist turned from his Prime, Aleyah smirking form his hand. "Oh, and Perceptor?" he turned just before heading down the hall, pausing to give Optimus his full attention. "I am very happy that Drift has found his way back to you."

Perceptor smiled brightly, something that was not a common sight. "Thank you Prime. I am as well." And with that he hurried down the hall, anticipation and joy thumbing through his frame, and he feared his nerves would get the better of him.

Drift was finally coming home.

* * *

Mia had her unbroken leg pulled up tightly to her chest. She was torn between fear and anger, and she had to _work_ to keep the annoyed look on her face in place.

The bright green seeker that carried Mia kept looking around nervously, glancing around corners and down hallways, the bright yellow seeker pressing up against his partners back.

"This is a bad idea," The bright yellow seeker muttered with annoyance to his partner.

The green seeker hissed back at his companion. "Shut up Sunstorm! We're not gonna get caught. We just gotta find Starscream."

Mia swallowed hard and tried to glare up at the seekers. "Who are you? Where are we going?" she tried to sound fierce and brave. She didn't quite reach the state of fearless, but her voice didn't shake and she didn't cry.

Mia was simply ignored, and the two seekers continued down the halls, their desperate borderline panicked whispering never stopping.

"We can't stay here anymore!" the green one hissed, optics bleeding away to a pale colour in his distress. "Not after what they did to Silverstorm. We need to get out!"

Mia frowned, confused at their words. They wanted out? Who was Silverstorm? "You want out?" she tried. "Then help us! Help me get to Starscream and get off this ship!"

Mia tried to be brave, and felt brave that she was trying to negotiate their exit, but they still simply ignored her.

"This is a dumb idea!" the yellow one, Sunstorm, snapped, sounding more uncertain than angry.

The green one sneered again. "Shut up." Nervous optics flicked to his companion. "Just shut up. We're almost to the Hole."

Mia perked up at the mention of the Hole. If they were heading for the Hole, they were going for Starscream. Eyes glanced around, and for the first time in nearly a week Mia felt her smile return and a flicker of hope in her chest. This could be the help they needed.

The green one peeked around the last corner and his wings lifting in relief. Turning to Sunstorm he offered the smallest of grins. "No one's here. Come on."

Sunstorm glared and muttered a prayer under his vents as he followed his comrade into the room where the Hole was hidden away. "We best not get caught, else we'll end up in here too," He muttered angrily.

The green seeker glared at his trine mate. "Just get Starscream." And nodded his head towards the Hole.

Sunstrorm glared back. "Why do I have to do it! You do it!"

The green seeker glowered. "I have the human!" he hissed back, lifting his servo with Mia on it to emphasize his point. "I'd need two hands to open the door, fragger!"

"Then I'll take her!" Sunstrom snapped back, optics blazing with irritation and he held out his hand to take Mia from his companion.

Green rolled his optics. "You'll become radioactive and kill her, you dolt!"

Yellow optics blinked at the green seeker. "Well…okay, you have a point." Bright yellow wings drooped. "Fine. I'll get Starscream."

"Good, hurry up!"

"Stop bossing me around Acidstorm," Sunstorm snapped back, and Mia frowned. Acidstorm and Sunstorm. As Sunstorm began to open the door to the Hole, Mia drew her lips into a thin line as she stared up at them, concentrating on them and the dimmest of memories prickled to the forefront of her mind.

"You were there," She said suddenly. "When….when Shockwave pumped water into Starscream's vents." She said softly, her own growing anger swirling in her belly.

Acidstorm glanced down to her with a frown. "So? It's not like we could have done anything to help! We would have just brought Megatron's wrath down onto us!"

Mia licked her teeth, and they felt dirty and fuzzy. She would have done murder to brush them. "I wouldn't think you would have, not at your expense. But…but you saw what he went through. What Megatron does to…to others."

Acidstorm made an annoyed noise and looked away from her. "Trust me, I know what Megatron does to others."

"Is that why you're here?" she asked voice becoming soft, eyes swinging around to see Sunstrom opening the door to the Hole, revealing Starscream. His arms hung broken and limp by his sides, his head down and leaning against the damp wall.

Acidstorm sighed. "Yes. Starscream isn't the only one he's hurt."

Mia snorted. If only Acidstorm knew the half of it.

Starscream's head lifted weakly, and he glared faintly at Sunstorm. "What the hell do you want?" he spat half-heartedly.

Sunstrom frowned back. "Could leave you here." He snapped back, but his voice was lacking any real venom. "We have the human so we don't need you. Not really."

Starscream sneered, optics desperately seeking Mia out and heaving a sigh that was true relief when he saw her safely with Acidstorm.

"We aren't leaving anyone behind!" Mia snapped, her eyes lit with a fire that had not been there days before.

Starscream opened his mouth to argue, when Acidstorm snapped over him. "Stop it! We don't have much time. We have to get out of here before we're caught!"

"And where are we going?" Starscream tried to demand, but he just couldn't manage to make it sound as such as he took a shaky step out from the Hole. He stumbled on only his first step, his knees shaking and frame low on energon. He would have gone crashing to the ground, but Sunstorm was faster and caught him.

As Starscream was hauled up right, Sunstorm felt his face heat at being caught doing something kind, which was weak. Yellow optics glanced to his former commanders damaged interface panel before he purposely ignored it.

"Our quarters. Get you some energon and some repairs. Then to the Autobot base." Acidstorm said firmly, despite how his hands began to shake. "We want out."

Starscream glared, frame trembling from pain and energon loss as he clung onto Sunstrom. "And why should I believe you?" he spat.

Acidstorm and Sunstrom shared a worried look, one that was full of pain and uncertainty. "We…we need to show you something, Starscream," Acidstorm said carefully, voice turning hard and angry.

Starscream glanced between them, optics falling finally on Mia. The little human offered him a small smile, one that Starscream didn't have it in him to offer back. Yet, he nodded to the two other seekers. "Alright. Show me what's so fracking important." He managed to sneer, his voice becoming stronger as the mental effects of the Hole began to lessen.

Starscream couldn't help but soften a little at the look of pure relief on the other two seeker's faces.

Acidstorm's wings rose a little, and his voice took a more confident edge. "Good. Let's…let's keep quite though. Sunstorm took the cameras out with a virus, but if we're heard we will all be caught."

Starscream and Mia both nodded, and Mia sent a brilliant smile up to Acidstorm. The green seeker returned her well-practiced smile with an awkward small one that was quickly let go. "Let's go," He muttered, turning for the hall way and his quarters.

The trip to Acidstorm and Sunstrom's quarters was a long and tense one. Acidstorm insisted that they move quietly, far more carefully than they had when moving to retrieve Starscream. There had been a few tense moments when Acidstorm had shoved them all into a nearby supply closet when Vortex had come down the hall.

The interrogator had paused, helm tilting towards them before he moved on, heading towards the Hole. With shaking servos but with a firm voice, Acidstorm insisted they keep moving forward and did not relax until they were all safely locked inside of their quarters.

Acidstorm's servos were still shaking as he carefully set Mia onto a table near one of the berths in the room as Sunstorm dropped Starscream onto the berth.

The bright yellow seeker took several steps back to the gloom of their shared quarters, servos wringing in front of him. "I can't believe we did this. Primus help me."

Acidstorm glared at his trine mate and huffed a sigh through his vents. Mia frowned too, feeling a little unnerved. In the shadows of their quarters she could see a third seeker laying in one of the other berths, but he did not come to see what was going on.

Her view of the third seeker was obstructed by Acidstorm as he handed Starscream energon with a trembling hand, and Mia could practically taste the distress in the room, the anxiety. The two seekers moved about in a jerky, unorganized and hurried fashion, bumping into each other and things as they pulled a repair kit from one of the dark corners of their quarters.

Starscream quietly sipped at his energon, optic pale with pain that he hid expertly from his face. He glanced to Mia, almost like he was afraid she would disappear if he looked away from her for too long. With an annoyed look at himself, Starscream offered her his forearm to climb onto and she forced herself not to stare at his mangled servo.

Finally, Acidstorm pulled a short stool to sit in front of Starscream and waited for him to allow Mia to climb from his arm to his shoulder and settle in before he took one broken servo.

"I can only do basic field repair," he said in a rush as he closed lines. "You need to see a medic."

Starscream made a noncommittal noise, optic focused on Sunstorm who had distanced himself to the other side of their quarters, but Starscream could see his frame was tense and the amber glow of his optics were bright and alert.

"You doing okay?" Mia muttered into his audial only when she was sure Acidstorm was too involved with repairing Starscream's servos.

Starscream shook his head no slowly, not drawing attention to her and not looking at her. He could feel his mind slipping and his frame beginning to shut down. He fought to keep his vision focused and his mind sharp. He couldn't afford to fall into the black pit that Megatron liked to shove him into mentally. That's when he got sloppy and stupid.

He needed to stay sane to keep Mia alive, after that everyone else was expendable.

Mia bit her lip and cuddled into the side of his neck. "We're going home," she said firmly and Starscream felt his spark twist.

He would make sure she would go home, then he would distract Megatron to ensure her escape if it came down to it. Snorting, the irony of it all was not lost on Starscream. He was a coward who tried to avoid pain at all costs, not some self-sacrificing fool, yet here they were.

Her tiny exhausted body snuggled into the side of his neck and he leaned his helm towards her ever so slightly.

"I can't…I can't fix your interface panel," Acidstorm said suddenly, drawing Starscream's dim optic back to his pinched face. "Or dry out your vents. But I can replace the patch in your side. It won't take long."

Starscream waved him off. "We haven't the time. Now, what was so bloody important that it was worth getting me out of the Hole for?"

Acidstorm looked anxious, glancing around the dark room before turning to Sunstrom. "Bring him over," he) called back softly.

From the other side of the room, Sunstorm made an annoyed noise before gently lifting the third seeker from the berth and onto his pedes. It was a slow, shambling walk to guide him into the dim light. Mia frowned, not understanding what she was seeing, but Starscream's hiss was enough to know something was wrong.

The blue seeker that Sunstrom guided by his shoulders was sat down next to Starscream on the berth, but he made no reaction as he was turned and pressed downward. He didn't look up at any of them, empty optics simply stared ahead at nothing. Starscream stared at the blue seeker before waving a broken servo in front of his face.

When he received no reaction, Starscream frowned up at the other two. "What in the pits happened to Silverstorm?"

Sunstrom looked away angrily, and Mia was sure that when he turned his back to them, he wiped at his optics. Acidstorm's lips became a thin line and his voice took on a furious hardness. "Shockwave. Ever since you left, Megatron has given him free rein over the seekers left on Cybertron, to do what he wants with us whenever he wants."

Sunstorm snarled and bright servos balled into tight fists, and he moved to storm back into the darkness of their quarters.

Silverstorm's helm snapped up with a sudden awareness when the bright seeker tried to melt into the shadows of their quarters, whimpering and reaching out for Sunstrom. Sunstrom paused and made an annoyed, angry noise before he slipped back into the light to offer his servo to his trine mate.

Silverstorm trilled happily as he took his trine mate's servo, sinking his digits between Sunstrom's and relaxing. His optics dimmed once more and he stared blankly at the wall.

Acidstorm's frown deepened, his anger dissolving into fear and worry for Silverstorm. "When you left and the Coneheads became the lead trine there was no one to keep Megatron in check. He allowed Shockwave to do what he wants, including experimenting on seekers, looking for something to do with bonds."

Acidstorm licked his lips and his optics paled with sadness when they flickered to Silverstorm. Sunstorm couldn't look at any of them, he simply stared at the floor and held onto Silverstorm's servo as tightly as he could.

"Before we were ordered to Earth, Shockwave had Silverstorm for three Vorns. Three vorns Starscream." He sounded desperate now, and Starscream felt his spark crush. "When Silverstorm came back to us we could feel him on the bond but he can't feel us. He still can't. He came back rambling that we were dead and he was lost before devolving into…into this state. He's…he's so broken, Starscream." He nodded slightly towards his trine mate. "He's…he's despondent at best now but Megatron still expects him to fight and we don't know what else to do."

Starscream swallowed hard and glanced to Mia, and was reminded that he needed to protect her. She was his responsibility before even other seekers right now, and she needed his protection. She was still perched carefully on his shoulder, face pulled into a sad look and her eyes sparkled with tears.

Starscream turned his attention back to them. "And what? You want me to take you with me? Back to the _Ark?"_

Acidstorm glanced to Silverstorm and sadness filled his grim face. "Please." He said softly. "I'm willing to beg you to take us with you, if that's what you want."

Starscream snorted and managed to put on an annoyed face despite the pain that radiated from his frame.

"You don't need to beg," Mia said suddenly, her glittering eyes at odds with the hardness of her voice. "We'll take you with us," she said firmly.

Starscream's helm twisted towards her slowly, broken brow lifting at her. "We will?" he asked surprised.

She looked at him with determination. "Yes, we will."

Optic rolling at her, Starscream huffed in annoyance. "Why?"

Mia smirked at him, but it was a bitter, angry mockery of her bright smile. "Because it's what Optimus would do. He wouldn't leave them here if they are asking for help. Because it's exactly what Megatron would not do, and fuck that guy."

Starscream snorted despite himself, he couldn't help but find the humor.

Acidstorm only looked desperate. "And we can make sure you actually get to the _Ark_. You don't look like you could hover never mind fly back to the Autobots. We can make sure you make it."

"With Silverstorm? I doubt it." Starscream managed to snark back as the first wave of fatigue hit him. "Besides, how do I know you won't turn on us the moment you have a chance?"

It was Sunstorm who snarled angrily. "Why would we! Look what they did to our bond mate!"

Starscream's optics brightened. "Bond mate?"

Even Mia's mouth fell open in shock, she had been around the twins long enough to know what a _bond_ mate was. She had been around Thundercracker and Skywarp enough to know bonding was not common among Decepticons.

The green seeker gave his mate a nasty look, optics flickering in a way that Mia had learned was what bond mates did when they communicated. "Holy crap," she muttered as she watched them.

"We won't," Acidstorm offered weakly. "We need you more then you need us. Silverstorm needs you, and we need him to get better. We won't betray you."

Starscream rolled his optic again at Acidstorm's pleading look, his desperation. "Please Starscream, take us with you."

Starscream huffed and gave them an annoyed look, uncomfortable with how genuine Acidstorm was being with him.

"Please."

Starscream made an uncertain noise at the back of his throat. "You _will_ obey me! Is that understood?"

Optics widened, filling with hope and shocked faces nodded.

"Good." Starscream said firmly and he felt the first flicker of hope that yes, they were going home. The game had finally been rigged in their favor.

Mia gave a little cough, and dim optics glanced to the little human on his shoulder and the very pointed look she gave him. Starscream could practically read her mind. "And the Prime." He finally said. "You'll have to obey the Prime as well."

Sunstrom snorted, but Acidstorm laughed quietly with relief, dark helm bobbing in a nod. "Agreed."

"And" Starscream added. "You can't hurt humans. Particularly the Autobot's humans. I will be especially cross if you do."

Another desperate nod met him, one that even Sunstrom gave in understanding.

"Unless they try to hurt you first." Mia, with her leg strapped to metal slats, the bones still broken and who had hardened so much in the short time they had been there. Mia, who now smiled hopefully to their new allies with that thousand watt smile. "If they hurt you first, they're fair game."

Starscream gave her an uncertain look, knowing Prime wouldn't agree with that. She gave a little shrug when she caught his mouth pulling into a frown. "We never did find those scientists who attacked Danny and Sunny. It's only fair that they defend themselves appropriately."

Nodding in agreement, he turned back to Acidstorm. "We'll talk about appropriate responses to humans later," Starscream said firmly, not daring to show excitement at escaping. This could still be a trap. "I assume you have a plan of escape?"

Acidstorm and Sunstorm glanced at each other nervously and an uncertain sputtering erupted from both of them.

Mia frowned at them and Starscream held up a broken servo to stop them with an annoyed grunt. Both seekers fell silent and allowed Starscream to ask "You don't have a plan, do you?"

"Well…" Acidstorm started, glancing to Silverstorm nervously. "The plan was to get you out and go from there."

"And put our faith in Primus." Sunstrom added firmly, believing that they would find a way out.

Starscream offlined his optic with an annoyed sigh. "You have no plan?" he spat.

"Starscream" Mia said gently. "They're doing their best."

"No they're not!" he sneered back at her angrily, prompting them both to give him a hurt and angry look. "They haven't even tried!"

Mia gave him a patient look, her own mouth pulling into a disappointed frown. "They are," she said with extreme calm that surprised him. Before this, before what she had witnessed beneath the ocean, Mia would have cried at his sharp words at her. "They didn't have to get us out of there."

Her frown slowly pulled into a bright smile and her eyes turned from Starscream to look up at the two surprised seekers with a sharp clap of her hands. "Now, I bet if we all stay calm," she said this giving Starscream a very pointed look "and work together, we can find a way out of here and get home."

"You…you think so?" Sunstorm asked softly, looking uncertain by her bright words.

Mia's thousand watt smile did not lessen. "Well, we don't have a choice now do we. So let's put on that can-do attitude and figure out how the hell we're getting out of here."

Starscream couldn't help but feel a burst of pride for his little human charge, and his dim, ruby optic burned into the other two seekers. "Well? Let's hear your ideas."

Her calmness was rubbing off onto Starscream, and he felt his mind begin to settle again.

Acidstorm and Sunstorm both shared a look, and Acidstorm gave a little nod. "O-okay. Well, there is a maintenance hatch that opens into the ocean floor on the west side of the ship. That part of the ship is underwater, but if I take Mia in my cockpit we should be able to-"

Acidstorm's words died in his throat as the locks to their room clicked open and their door swung open unexpectedly.

Vortex waltzed into the room, his visor flashing happily and his mask down so all could see his cruel smirk and razor sharp teeth. The door slammed shut behind him and he swung his servos from his sides to clap together in front of his chest.

All smiles fell and all hope died as the interrogator came to a stop just inside the quarters.

"Well, well, well," he said slowly, his smirk only widening. "How do ya do, traitors?"

Starscream cursed and felt despair at their lost chance.


	10. Wanting In

Important Information

"Blah" Speaking

::Blah:: comm. link

' ** _Blah_ '** bonded speech

'Blah' thinking

Astrosecond- 2.5 earth Seconds

Klik- 150 earth seconds/ 2.5 earth Minutes

Orn- 150 earth minutes/ 2.5 earth Hours

Joor- 60 earth hours/2.5 earth Days

Metacycle- 17.5 earth days/2.5 earth Weeks

Vorn- 10 earth weeks/2.5 earth months

Stellercycle-30 earth months/2.5 years

Breem-slang for a moment/minute.

Night Cycle: star down to star up

Day Cycle: Star up to star down

* * *

Authors Note: Wholly crap! An update!

For a while I had lost the muse to all my stories, I wasn't writing anything and didn't have the drive to do so. But, after going to a convention recently I've got the bug again! Whoot! So I hope you all enjoy chapter 10, and chapter 11 has already been started.

Thank you all.

Disclaimer: I own only my OC's, nothing else.

* * *

Horror was etched into the faces of both Sunstorm and Acidstorm as Vortex smoothly walked deeper into their dark quarters. Sunstrom stepping back further away from the interrogator, shoving Silverstorm behind him as he did so, the blue seeker cuddling into the back of a yellow shoulder when he did.

Mia gave a sharp gasp before she could swallow it back. She refused to bow to fear despite how her hands shook while she grasped at Starscream's collar armor. The smirk that Vortex wore was not a friendly one, not the kind of smirk that an ally would direct towards them.

Acidstorm shot up, snarling at the heliformer and his bright green armor fluffing up aggressively. His lips twisting to bare his denta at the interrogator, Acidstorm hesitated, torn between charging and guarding his mates.

Vortex's helm tilted, the sharp smirk turning amused as he took another step forward. His claws flared at his sides, his steps lose and languid as he took another.

Lifting a broken hand, Starscream struggled to stand, vents working harder as he pushed himself to his pedes. Mia clung to his collar armor in a white knuckled grip and a grim face.

"Vortex wait," He rasped. The red visor flicked towards him before snapping back to Acidstorm. "Just wait. You don't have to do this."

"Loyalty program," Acidstorm hissed, his own claws flared, frame tense and ready to attack.

Vortex licked his lips, slow and somehow made it seem more like a threat. "That's right. Loyalty program. All hail Megatron, and all that." He suddenly snapped a crisp salute, before his frame relaxed and the lazy smirk returned.

Acidstorm hissed again, uncertain. Glancing back at his mates, a worried look crossed his face before the anger returned. "This isn't a joke!" the seeker hissed, taking his own step forward.

Vortex's visor flashed happily, welcoming the distress and anxiety that came just before a fight.

"Stop," Starscream tried to hiss, trying to weakly grasp at green armor with broken servos. "Stand down Acidstorm."

"Yes Acidstorm, stand down," Vortex mocked. "Like a good little mechling. So loyal to the Prime."

Acidstorm made to move towards Vortex again, and again stopped by Starscream. "He's baiting you."

Vortex faked looking hurt, hand splayed across his chest. "Baiting you? Me? Well of all the things."

"What do you want Vortex?" Starscream hissed angrily, beginning to lean heavily onto Acidstorm as his strength left him. The green seeker made no move to help his former commander stand up, red optics glaring at Vortex.

The crystal of Vortex's visor flashed, and for a moment the sharp look fell, leaving the most unreadable look. Just as quickly, the look was gone and the sharp look was back and Vortex gave a little shrug. "Was very confused to find the Hole empty. Ons want's a chit chat with you," He sing-songed. Vortex shifted his weight back and crossed his arms, suddenly no longer seemingly like a direct threat. "Wasn't hard to find you. There are only so many who would be stupid enough to do it."

"How did you get into our quarters?" Acidstorm hissed, drawing Vortex's attention again.

Vortex's smirk only got wider. "Locks are so easily hacked and broken."

"You broke my lock!"

Vortex shrugged before dismissing Acidstorm. "We haven't the time. You not being in the Hole will be noticed, eventually." Vortex lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug. "We all know Megatron hasn't grown tired of you yet. Onslaught wants to chat."

Acidstorm sneered. "Oh. So you're a delivery boy then?"

Vortex bared his denta in another sharp smile. "I'm sorry, the adults are talking."

Making a move to attack, Acidstorm was stopped by Starscream's hand on his shoulder. It only made Vortex's smile sharpen all the more, "And sparklings should be seen and not heard."

"That's enough Vortex," Starscream snapped as crimson optics slid effortlessly towards the damaged seeker. "You said Onslaught wanted to see us? Where?"

Pouting a little that his fun had ended, Vortex muttered, "Our quarters. Onslaught is waiting."

Weakening as he took a step towards the interrogator, Starscream nodded. "Alright then. Take us. All of us."

Vortex frowned at Starscream, "Even the extra baggage?"

Acidstorm snarled, but Starscream shrugged nonchalantly, "Yes, the extra baggage too." Even as his knees began to shake from fatigue.

Acidstorm glared at the back of Starscream's head and Vortex all but whined, "Fiiiiine. They can come too if you insist."

"I'm insisting," Starscream dead panned.

Vortex rolled his optics. "Autobots making you soft Starscream." The pout was gone, but Vortex still whined in annoyance.

Mia smirked even as the seeker huffed, "Take us to Onslaught."

Vortex mirrored the women's smirk. "Very well." He sang songed again, swapping from frightening interrogator or merry assistant at a frightening speed. He wouldn't allow any of the seekers to grasp what was really happening, "This way."

Just as easily as he had come into their room, Vortex breezed out as though nothing were wrong.

Acidstorm came to stand beside Starscream, "This is a bad idea. How can we trust him?"

Starscream snorted, glancing to Mia, "How can I trust any of you?" he asked, swinging his very pointed look to the green seeker.

"But, the loyalty program,"

"Is only a concern if they are given a direct order," Starscream interrupted, his damaged frame taking shaky steps after the helicopter. "Onslaught has more resources and is a tactician. If anyone has an escape plan it's him."

The green seeker groaned and slid an arm under Starscream's to help support his weakening frame. "But why would Onslaught want to help us?"

"Come on traitors!" Vortex called happily, practically bouncing on his toe-plates.

Acidstorm snarled, and Starscream just sighed. "Let's go find out then," He grumbled, leaning heavily onto the green seeker.

Frowning, Acidstorm nodded, and motioned for Sunstorm and Silverstorm to follow. "Fine," The green seeker hissed. "But he better stop calling us traitors."

Starscream snorted. "Might as well get used to that."

Mia couldn't help but chortle at the response as they slowly followed Vortex from the room and she laughed again at seeing the mangled mess of wires of what was left of Acidstorm's lock. Starscream gave her a surprised look, it had been the first time she had laughed since they arrived only days ago.

The green seeker sighed and Vortex laughed at his dismay. "What? It's not like you're coming back here anyways." With that, the interrogator spun away and practically floated down the hall.

Acidstorm growled. "I hate him," He muttered, sparking a tiny flicker of amusement in Starscream. He glanced again to Mia, and he thought about how Onslaught had sent her food and water and how Vortex had begrudgingly brought it.

"I don't think they're all that bad," Starscream shrugged, leaning heavier into Acidstorm as they followed Vortex. "Could be a hell of a lot worse."

Acidstorm begrudgingly accepted Starscream's response, despite his muttered words, "I dunno Starscream. It can't get much worse than Vortex."

"He is a bit of an ass," Mia agreed suddenly, drawing Acidstorm's attention. "But he's an ass who's helping us."

Glaring at the human, Acidstorm could see why Starscream was fond of her. She had a certain moxie that a lot of humans lacked. Grumbling, Acidstorm followed Vortex and his too light of a walk.

* * *

The walk to the Combaticon's _Nemesis_ issued quarters had been uneventful. The whole walk there Vortex had been light and unhurried, not once seeming nervous at what they had been doing. By comparison, the seekers were jumpy and anxious. They flinched at every noise, and peeked around every corner before fully committing to walking down it, much to Vortex's ever growing amusement.

"You seekers are soooooo jumpy," Vortex mused as he opened the door to his quarters, and stepped aside to let them in. "It's like you've never broken the rules before."

Acidstorm glared at him as they slipped through the door, "It's not like you were tortured Vortex. We have reason to be jumpy."

Vortex's smirk got wider. "Sparkling," He mocked.

"Vortex may have not been this time, but I certainly was." Onslaught shrugged as they came into the room. The massive commander was standing still with thick arms crossed over his chest. His frame was relaxed and almost board looking, "What are they doing here?"

Before Starscream could respond, Vortex answered lightly "Oh, Starscream wants to bring rift raft with us."

Acidstorm hissed back, "We are not rift raft! Why do you have to be such a glitch!"

Suddenly becoming serious, Vortex asked "Have you _actually_ met me?"

"Enough," Onslaught snapped, his patience already running thin. Vortex leered at the green seeker before moving around Onslaught to tend to something behind his commander.

Both Acidstorm and Sunstorm glared at the interrogator as he moved out of sight, optics flashing as they complained over their bond.

The gold visor passed over Acidstorm, Sunstorm and Silverstorm, moving to Starscream and Mia. "You two alright?"

Mia nodded finding herself relaxed with the large commander and Starscream. They had shared pain and a horrifying moment, and that _meant_ something. Starscream frowned at him and asked, "What do you want Onslaught?" yet there wasn't the usual bite to the seekers tone towards the commander he had freed so long ago.

Snorting, the Combaticon commander tilted his head lazily, "We want to come with you. I am even willing to bring _them_ ," he nodded towards the brightly colored seekers as though he were doing them a favor "with us, if that's what you want. We want immunity from Autobot prosecution, or whatever deal you have worked out with the Prime. In exchange we will fight for you and will give you the power of Bruticus."

Starscream's optics narrowed in suspicion. "What about the loyalty program? How can you even conspire to leave?"

A full frame shiver ran down Onslaught's body, and he tightened his hold on his arms. "We have found a way to manipulate it, temporarily to gain certain freedoms back. We tend not to draw attention to it when we are doing it, or else the control will slip."

Starscream snorted, still uncertain. "And what about in battle? What use would you be to us then?"

Another shiver ran down Onslaught's spinal struts, this one much more controlled. "Through our research we have discovered that the loyalty program cannot be removed, not without damaging our personality components."

"That would be a fragging shame," Acidstorm hissed from between clenched denta as he glared at the commander.

Onslaught ignored him, focusing on Starscream. "However, the individual that we are loyal to can be changed."

"You're certain?" Starscream asked slowly, suddenly feeling woozy and light headed.

Onslaught nodded. "Hook guaranteed it. It would take a medic who specializes in programing and processors to do it, but it can be done."

Starscream scowled. "A medic like Ratchet?"

Onslaught nodded again. "He is one of the best."

Optic narrowed, Starscream demanded. "Why should I believe you? Why would you want to leave now? If you've had all this information before, what makes now so special?"

Pausing, Onslaught glanced behind him and they could hear Vortex sigh.

Turning his attention back to Starscream, Onslaught's hands tightened again in frustration as Vortex came back around his commander. In the interrogators arms was a tiny sparkling, sucking on his own digits.

There was a collective gasp, and Mia muttered, "Is that a baby?"

The three seekers in the room froze as old protocols snapped online, and nothing was suddenly more important to any of them then protecting the sparkling. The dark grey sparkling giggled and a weeks' worth of tension and torture unwound from Starscream's spark.

"That is a sparkling," The seeker all but sighed. "Who does he belong to?"

"Me." Vortex said aggressively, suddenly holding Ace a little tighter as though to protect him. "He's mine. Ons is his surrogate."

"What…what about his other creator."

"Doesn't want him." Onslaught said more calmly then he felt, his tattered EM field rippled with annoyance and anger. "So he's mine."

Starscream, still stunned into silence and mouth dropped open in shock, simply nodded. "O- Okay." He gave his helm a little shake to clear his processor, "I take it then you have a plan?"

Onslaught nodded. "Blast Off and Brawl are on duty on the command deck, and Swindle is heading there now. They can raise and lower the control tower to have access above the ocean. We cut off all of our comms so Megatron can't order us back and we go to the _Ark_ flying in Blast Off."

Starscream nodded. It seemed simple enough…too simple. Too easy.

Shaking his head no, Starscream groused, "Megatron will know immediately that you've left and grow suspicious." He glanced to Mia and the sparkling. "He will come after me."

"Then what do you propose we do?" Onslaught asked, sounding suddenly uncertain, the gleam of his visor glancing to the giggling sparkling.

Starscream hesitated, his protocol's screaming to protect the sparkling at all costs. "You take your team, Mia and Silverstorm and get as far from here as possible. I will lead Megatron away, I'm not as fast as Blast Off, but enough to draw Megatron's attention. He will be too concerned with me to go after you. Have Mia use Blast Off's communicator and get a message to Prime." He nodded towards Acidstorm and Sunstorm. "I'll take these two with me to help draw them off."

Onslaught snored "I didn't take you for a self-sacrificing fool Starscream. Autobot's are making you soft."

"I don't like this plan," Mia said softly, worry etched deeply into her face as she cast uncertain glances between the two Cybertronians.

"I don't either," Onslaught barked. "You can barely stand, never mind fly."

Starscream glared at him. "I know Vortex has to have access to some kind of stimulants," He glanced to the interrogator. "Right?"

Onslaught glanced to his interrogator, the gestalt bond pinging in question. Heaving a sigh, Vortex nodded. "Yeah, I got stimulants."

Starscream nodded. "Good. I need enough to keep me air borne until the Prime can come collect us."

"Yeah, I can do that," Vortex nodded, looking back down at his sparkling, bouncing Ace in his arms.

Sunstorm's orange optics followed Ace's gentle bounce up and down. "That is too weird," He muttered to his bond mate as Acidstorm nodded in agreement.

"You get used to it," Onslaught groused and he gently eased Ace from Vortex's arm to cradle him in the crook of his arm. Ace giggled and kicked tiny feet against Onslaught's thick armored arm.

Starscream couldn't help but to be in awe at how natural and how easy Onslaught cradled the sparkling, how he didn't look any less intimidating as he shifted his weight to one side to compensate for the tiny frame. Starscream was sure he still could have beaten them all in a fight and not disturbed the sparkling in the least.

"It's amazing how he still looks like he could kick your ass," Mia mused, eyes sparkling with an amusement not seen in days, practically reading his processor.

Onslaught snorted as Vortex disappeared behind his commander again, digging under his berth for a small box.

"You've got a high functioning system right?" Vortex asked as he stood with the small box he retrieved.

Mia's smile fell and she worried at her bottom lip. "Are you sure about this?"

A broken face titled down to Mia and Starscream forced a confident look. "This will be fine." He reassured.

"Suuuure it will be." Vortex shrugged, smirking at the seekers as he pulled a needle from the case and a small vial of neon green liquid. "Just like Silverstorm is gonna get all better when Ratchet sees him."

There was a snarl and a flash if green as Acidstorm launched himself at the interrogator, Starscream almost fell as he was jostled having to use a wall to catch himself before he hit the ground.

Vortex easily slipped the needle and vial into subspace and easily side stepped Acidstorm's sloppy attack, spinning around him in an elegant manor and coming to stop defensively in front of Onslaught.

Acidstorm slammed into Vortex's berth with a crash, and he quickly shoved himself up with an angry snarl. He spun around, and he again charged at the smirking heloformer who was ready for his attack.

Mia gasped as Vortex moved with a frightening grace that reminded her of a predator as he swooped down to grab at Acidstorm's legs and yanked them up hard. Falling onto his back with a rage filled cry, Acidstorm was pinned to the ground as Vortex stomped onto his throat with an easy smile, his claws flared and tapping against his thighs.

Hissing, Acidstorm grasped at his pede and struggled beneath Vortex while spitting out Cybertronion curses.

Silverstorm whimpered at Sunstorm's side, pressing a pale face into his shoulder, and the yellow seeker looked torn between protecting one bonded over the other.

Starscream looked desperately to Onslaught to get control over his subordinate, and was dismayed to see the larger Combaticon making no motion to stop him. Onslaught continued to gently rock Ace in the crock of his arm, carefully putting his heavily armored frame between the seekers and the sparkling.

Annoyance pricked under his chest, and Starscream snarled despite his lack of strength. "Enough," He snapped, his voice strong and irritated.

Vortex's visor lifted and he huffed an annoyed sigh before he moved off the green seeker. "Party pooper." He all but pouted, shifting from deadly interrogator to annoyed subordinate.

Acidstorm pulled himself back to his pedes with an angry snarl, moving to once again charge at the interrogator.

" _Acidstorm_!" Starscream barked, and age old training has the seeker frozen in place. "Back in line."

Acidstorm hesitated, denta bared in rage and hate flickered through his EM field and for a moment Starscream think's he will charge again.

Vortex and Onslaught seem to think the same; Vortex's razor sharp smile grows and he shifts his weight to ready for another attack while Onslaught shifted Ace further against his frame.

"Now. Acidstorm," Starscream's raspy voice hisses, and he feels his knees begin to go weak.

The steps were hesitant and slow, and Starscream could feel the rage that licked through Acidstorm's EM field and how still Mia had frozen on his shoulder. Yet, Acidstorm backed up next to his mate, his optis burning with hate.

Once within reach, Sunstrom grabbed at his green mate and hauled him against his brightly colored armor, effectively pinning the green mech against himself.

Heaving a sigh, Starscream felt his knees give way and he fell into the wall in an attempt to catch himself. His knees hit the ground hard, jarring his frame and rattling his helm. His vision faded to black and his helm spun, and he felt sick to his empty tanks. There was a roaring in his audials that blocked out all other noise, but he could feel Mia shaking on his shoulder, and he was sure she was calling his name.

Everything came back slowly, first his hearing came back and he could hear his own ragged panting through parted lips. The spinning of his helm faded and he suddenly realized he couldn't feel his servos, and the sensors came back online slowly, tingling their way up his arm. His vision came back last, hazy and full of static and he dismissed the plethora of warning messages that popped up in his hud.

"S-Starscream?" Mia's small voice called his name in question, and he found himself nodding in response.

"Fine," He rasped, his vocalizer spitting static and he struggled to even get that single word out.

"Liar," Onslaught's deep voice boomed over him, and Starscream was certain the Combaticon commander wasn't even raising his voice. His adudial's tried to adjust to the sensory input, but finding it difficult for his energon starved and damaged sensors to adjust.

Lifting his damaged face, Starscream tried his best to offer a glare to Onslaught as he stood over him and offered a hand out to assist. Not letting up on the look, Starscream reached out with the arm that Mia was not perched on to take the offered servo.

He didn't dare look at Mia or her frightened face.

Onslaught reached out and grasped at Starscream's upper arm and with a surprising gentleness hauled the seeker to his pedes. Starscream swayed and fought to keep upright, and Onslaught quietly held up still until he found his balance.

Only when Starscream's knees stopped shaking did Onslaught move slowly, guiding him to Vortex's berth to sit him down.

Vortex now had Ace in his arms, bouncing the sparking, carefully watching the other three seekers in the room, who had all frozen in a shocked awe to see such a gentleness from Onslaught.

"You control your rift-raft well," Onslaught mused out loud once Starscream was seated, earning a snarl from Acidstorm and a glare from Starscream.

"Really?" Starscream asked, vocals cutting out part way through the word and fading to static.

Onslaught lifted a shoulder in a lazy shrug and offered a servo out to Mia. "Are you really going to be able to fly? You can barely stand for short periods."

Starscream offered a deprecating laugh. "So long as Vortex can get me as high as he says he can, I won't be feeling much." He turned to Mia and her pale face and deep frown. "I'll be fine," He tried to reassure, and he nodded his head towards Onslaught.

Mia huffed at him, eyes flickering to the commander and back to him before she slowly moved from his shoulder to Onslaught's waiting servo. "This is a shit plan," She stated firmly, arms crossed and voice defiant.

Onslaught nodded. "Perhaps. But it's our best options all things considering. Those three wouldn't have gotten you far before Megatron caught you. Starscream's right, he _will_ hunt Starscream down at all costs."

"And what about Starscream!" Mia burst up at the commander, hands balling into fists as her shoulders dropped and she managed to stay standing despite her own injury.

"Get into the atmosphere and out of Megatron's range," Starscream rasped. "Contact Prime." He managed a twisted smile. "He's a hero type right? Prime will come if only to save us poor abused Decepticons."

Mia bit her lower lip and her eyes looked worried. "I hope so," She muttered.

"He will." Starscream wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, himself or Mia.

He shifted his gaze from Mia and Onslaught, and shifted it to Vortex and his sparkling. "Well, let's hurry. I'm eager to leave."

The smirk came back to Vortex's face and he easily handed Ace off to Onslaught as easily as he took him back. Ace yawned and cuddled into Onslaughts chest, optics slipping off line and falling into recharge.

The needle was pulled from subspace and the vial too was back in Vortex's hands. He sat across from Starscream and carefully drew the neon liquid into the needle. He took Starscream's arm and popped open a medical port.

"You're gonna feel reeeealy good soon." Vortex smirked as the green liquid slipped into Starscream's line.

* * *

Starscream was pleasantly surprised by how good he _did_ feel and how quickly the stimulant kicked in. His vision sharpened and his pain was dulled, and he felt _so_ good. He walked with a spring in his step and a smile on his broken face, and it was only Onslaught's order that kept him quiet as they slipped silently down the halls of _Nemesis_. Starscream had to hold back giggles, and stopped the building of laughter that came in partnership with the stimulants.

Onslaught lead them quietly and quickly through the halls. They had to make it to the control centre before Swindle and Brawl were off of monitor duty.

Vortex followed closely behind Starscream, who was tight behind Onslaught. Vortex had Ace tucked tightly against his chest, and Mia on his shoulder, he was carrying her in Starscream's stead due to a very real fear of the seeker dropping her.

Onslaught paused at another corner, glanced around it, before leading the group of seekers around it.

"How much further?" Mia whispered to Vortex, clinging to his collar armor. The light behind his visor flicked down to her before coming back up to the back to Starscream's helm.

It weirded Vortex out that Mia was not afraid of him. "Not much further." He whispered back. "The control deck is just ahead. Swindle and Brawl will abandon their posts once we get there, Blast Off is already above the ocean."

Mia nodded, frowning at Starscream as he nearly skipped down the hall. They had gone over the plan multiple times, and Mia knew that Blast Off was above ground and they would join the others once they got to the control centre. She wasn't sure if Vortex told her again to provide comfort to her, or himself.

Mia nodded and clung a little tighter to his armor.

Onslaught half turned. "Keep quiet," He hissed before walking into a solid frame with white armor and wings.

Onslaught stumbled with the white frame, almost falling over in a tangle of limbs. The flier he walked into hit the wall and groaned, struggling to right himself.

It was Ramjet who tried to shove Onslaught's much larger frame away from him, but ended up shoving himself away from Onslaught.

The white conehead sneered, trying to look down at Onslaught's much larger frame. "Onslaught," He scoffed. "Watch where you're going!" Ruby optics slipped from Onslaught to the tight knot of mechs behind him.

"Starscream? Onslaught what are you doing?" his voice was tipping from arrogant to shocked. "Why do you have Starscream….and. And is that a sparkling?"

Mia felt her heart jump into her throat and fear made her take a breath and hold it.

"Onslaught," Ramjet's voice became breathless with realization. "You're a trai-" Ramjet was cut off by Onslaught's fist slamming hard into his face.

Ramjet's helm snapped back and blood energon spewed from his broken nasal structure. The seeker stumbled backwards, and Onslaught's massive servo shot out to grasp the front of his throat before Ramjet could even cry out. Mia gasped as Onslaught hit him again, crushing the seeker's nasal structure further into his cranium, and didn't stop hitting him. Even as Ramjet went limp and fell back against the wall, Onslaught kept hitting him, even as energon smeared up Onslaught's arms and all the way up to his shoulder, he didn't stop hitting. Even when Onslaught pinned Ramjet to the wall, Onslaught continued to hit him as hard as he could, determined to smash his way through Ramjet's helm.

When Ramjet's legs gave out from under him, Onslaught held him up right and grasped his broken face with one massive servo. His digits indented into Ramjet's face, and with barley a grunt of effort Onslaught ripped Ramjet's head from his shoulders.

The white frame fell to the ground with a metallic thud and energon pooled under the greying frame. Onslaught made an annoyed noise at the back of his throat before taking the decapitated helm between both hands and pressed inward as hard as he could. Ramjet's helm caved in, crushing his brain module and processor in one swift move.

He dropped what was once Ramjet's helm and casually stepped over it and didn't bother to look back.

"Holy shit," Mia gasped from Vortex's shoulder, her mouth fell open in surprise. "He just fucking crushed his head."

Onslaught glanced back, not bothering to try to wipe the energon from his hands. "Come on. We've got to keep moving." And he disappeared around the corner of the hall, as though he had not just brutally killed another mech.

Starscream burst out laughing, his voice high and slurred from the stimulants. "Primus! That was so anticlimactic!" he giggled as he followed Onslaught around the corner, stomping through the energon on the floor. "Hated this mech. Should'da hit him a little longer."

Vortex shook his helm and followed Starscream and Mia shivered.

Decepticons, she decided, were odd, violent creatures.

* * *

Brawl and Swindle were nervous, purple optics kept glancing uncertainly around the room and Brawl's red visor kept seeking Onslaught out for reassurance.

Onslaught walked around the command hub like he owned it, like he should have been in command without question, "Raise the tower."

Brawl and Swindle jumped to his command without hesitation, digits typing frantically into the controls to raise the tower. Mia glanced to Starscream who was looking oddly bright eye'd and excited as the tower rose.

Behind her and Vortex, Acidstorm and Sunstorm were quietly reassuring Silverstorm in hushed voices. The touches were soft and quick as they pet his and each other's armor, small, chaste kisses were pressed to the sides of helms and along shoulders quickly as though they were trying to hide their good bye.

"Towers up b'oss." Brawl's thick voice called and that was when Mia felt her stomach drop and tighten in fear mixed with excitement.

They were going home.

She took a breath to steady herself and that broken thing rebilled against her fear and reveled. The ride up to the surface took too long, and everyone but Starscream was tense.

The doors peeled open far too slow for Mia's liking, but when they did she was hit with a bright sunny day out on the ocean and a cool breeze that smelled like fresh air and salt.

Starscream pushed his damaged wings out and basked happily in the sun as Mia took a deep breath. A smile, wide and bright broke through the haze of stimulants and Starscream beamed. "It's a perfect day to fly."

Mia laughed and agreed. "We're going home." She whispered.

"We need to go." Onslaught said firmly, already radioing Blast Off down to their location. "Say your good byes and go."

Starscream huffed at him, sticking his glossa out like a sparkling before he turned to Mia and Vortex.

He leaned down towards her and Mia reached up to press a hand to his cheek. "Be careful."

Starscream nodded, his drug induced smile was oddly bright. "Onslaught," he said suddenly, nuzzling into her hand. "If anything happens to her while she is in your care, I will kill you."

Onslaught looked unconcerned by the threat and he barley nodded at Starscream as he wiped the energon from his servos. Vortex huffed in annoyance and looked back at Ace and ignored Starscream and how close he was to his frame.

Blastoff's blasters blew how air around them as he dropped down to hoover in front of them. His hatch opened with a hiss and Swindle scrambled to get inside. Mia could see Acidstorm and Sunstrom give Silverstorm a final, soft good bye before handing him off to Brawl.

The Combaticon quickly ushered him inside, and Onslaught turned to Vortex. "Let's go!" he roared over the sound of thrusters.

Starscream paused once more, a suddenly clarity fought through the fog and he realized that this might be the last time he saw Mia.

"Be careful." She whispered again, and Starscream nodded.

"I'll get in touch with Prime." She promised, her eyes sparkled in the sunlight and she did not cry. "I'll get you help."

Starscream nodded. "I'm glad we became friends." He whispered to her, and her bright smile and the return of her happiness had been worth his pain to protect her.

"Me too."

Vortex huffed. "For Primus sakes. This is gross, it's time to go."

Starscream nodded and didn't stop the interrogator from leaving. Sunstrom and Acidstrom came to flank Starscream, looking nervous, and he watched as Vortex left. Mia gave him one last simile and she waved before Vortex disappeared into Blastoff's cargo hold.

Onslaught looked at him once more, and nodded. "Good luck." He called out to the trio of seekers before he too disappeared into the cargo hold.

Starscream watched Blastoff go, he stayed longer then he should have to watch the shuttle until he became a small black spot in the sky and disappeared.

"Starscream?" Sunstorm asked softly as alarms began to go off deep inside of _Nemesis._ "We need to go."

Starscream nodded, and the fog in his processor didn't lift. "Yes." He said breathlessly. "Let's go."

He then turned away from the two seekers and stepped off the edge of the tower and let himself fall. Wind rushed past his damaged frame and he laughed. Transformation was painful as he fell, and he screamed even with the stimulants dulling his pain as injuries tore and the plating in his side finally gave out.

His thrusters fired hard as he skimmed the smooth ocean surface and shot back into the sky. Pain radiated to every inch of his frame, knocking him back momentarily to a completely sober state before the stimulants kicked in. He was going to make it back to the _Ark_ in several pieces or die trying.

Acidstorm and Sunstorm following close behind.

* * *

Mia had always wanted to see space. Had always wanted to feel what weightlessness felt like and see the stars up close.

As Blastoff tore into the upper atmosphere and she clung to Vortex, she changed her mind. She could hear Onslaught's calm voice ensure that Blastoff kept the life support systems functioning for an organic life form on line, but that cold comfort didn't stop the feeling of nausea creep into her chest.

She jammed her eyes shut tight and she clung to Vortex's shoulder and hoped for the best. She didn't dare open her eyes or try to see beyond the darkness from behind her own eye lids.

"Mia?" it was Onslaught's deep voice that finally forced her to risk cracking open her eyes to look up at him. "We are in low orbit, and blocked out all _Nemesis_ communication. You need to send a message to the _Arc_ if you are hoping Starscream will live."

Mia swallowed and nodded, feeling nauseous. "Okay. Right." She slowly pushed herself to stand, and she heard Vortex make an annoyed noise at her side. When she released her white knuckle grip of his shoulder, she gasped as she floated upward and it took longer than it should have to realize what _low orbit_ actually meant.

"We're in space." She said breathlessly as Onslaught carefully scooped her tiny frame up and carried her to the control centre. "How are you not floating?"

"Magnets." Onslaught said in way of explanation, his steps heavy on Blastoff's deck.

Mia nodded and twisted around, gripping at Onslaught's thumb to look out the window and gasped.

The Earth was large and blue and green. A beautiful orb of life and hope, and the sight of it smoothed the edges of the broken thing in her chest. Her home was beautiful.

"It's so pretty." Her words were breathless and in awe.

Onslaught made a non-committal noise in the back of his throat, and a screen popped up that covered the image of Earth. "Blastoff, contact the _Ark._ "

The screen went to static as Blastoff reached out to the Autobots, and Onslaught looked down at the tiny human that all his hopes hinged on. "You need to speak to the Prime and ensure we will not be shot down the moment we enter their air space."

Mia nodded as there was a connection made and Red Alerts face appeared on the screen.

Blue optics were drawn to the Combaticon commander first, and they darkened with rage and hate. "Onslaught." Red Alert said coldly. "What do you want?"

Mia's brow furrowed a little and she remembered that they were still the enemy. She took a breath and allowed her eyes to fill with tears, and it was years of practice that allowed her lower lip to tremble so easily.

"R-Red?" Mia whimpered, and she was always surprised how easily this came to her. "Red is Prime around?"

Red Alert froze, blue optics widened to see soft, little Mia in the hand of the war machine that was Onslaught. "Are you hurt!" he demanded, small fists slamming into the control table and he stood. "What did you do to her? Why is she crying!"

Onslaught looked down confused, helm tilting to the side and Mia heard the unsure "Uhhhhh?" muttered under his breath.

Mia's breath hitched and she allowed a tear to slip down her cheek. "Red, we were captured by Megatron, Starscream and I. They've tortured him for the last five days, and he's leading them away. I need to talk to Prime!"

Red Alert stared at Mia, audial horns flashing blue. "Ummmm and…the Combaticons?"

Mia paused for effect, and she bit her lip. "They saved me." She whispered.

Onslaught glanced from Mia to the screen, taken aback by Mia's tear stained face.

Red Alert looked uncertain from Mia to Onslaught and back. "I ummm. Prime isn't here right now. I'm…I'm going to get Prowl. Just…Just a second."

The screen went black and Mia rubbed at her face to wipe away the tears. She tilted her face up to Onslaught, who was disturbed by how quickly she was able to stop crying, and gave him a smug look.

"What in the pits was that?"

Mia shrugged. "I was always bait. I had to be as helpless as possible so Danny and Callie could steal cars." Her smile beamed up at him. "Nothing is more helpless then tears."

From behind Onslaught, Vortex barked a laugh, and Onslaught shook his helm. "You were car thieves?"

Mia nodded. "Some of the best. We ran a huge enterprise, once upon a time." She gave a shrug. "But tears won't work for Prowl, and if Prime's away we need him to send help to Starscream.

The screen blinked again, and Prowl was looking back at them. His face didn't flinch but his wings rose up high above his head. "Mia," his words were slow and careful. "Are you alright?"

Mia nodded, paused then shock her head no. "Starscream and I were captured five days ago by Megatron. We have been trapped in _Nemesis_." She said, much calmer with Prowl then Red Alert.

"The Combaticons and a group of seekers helped us escape. Starscream, Acidstorm and Sunstorm are making a run for it, but Starscream is badly hurt and I don't know if he will make it to the _Ark_. You need to send someone after him. A lot of someones."

Prowl glanced up at Onslaught, blue optics narrowed. "And what about them? What do they want?"

Onslaught opened his mouth to speak when Mia jumped in. "Immunity. The same deal that Starscream and the seekers got. And Ratchet to do something about the loyalty program."

Prowl rose a brow to give Mia a look. She simply planted her hand onto her hip and gave him a firm look back. "It's only fair. Aaaaand they saved us."

Prowl ex-vented, and even such a small noise Mia could tell he was annoyed. "Very well." He said slowly, "As Starscream is in need of our immediate assistance, I will contact the Prime and send help to his location. Do you know where he is?"

"No." Onslaught said firmly, before using his free hand to type something into the console. "But based on his flight trajectory, these are the most likely locations he will end up."

Prowl accepted the data packet that Onslaught sent him, blue optics quickly taking in the information. "Good. We will find him and get assistance to his location. Stay in orbit until we can get Starscream back onto the _Ark._ " He glanced again to Mia. "I trust you can keep her safe until then?"

Onslaught nodded. "I will keep her alive." His gold visor flashed. "We have a deal? Access to Ratchet and immunity?"

"Keep her alive and we'll talk." He looked back at Mia. "Stay safe. As soon as we have Starscream we'll bring you home."

Mia nodded, her eyes softening. "Prowl, Starscream really needs you. He's…it was bad."

Prowl's door wings lowered, but his face remained cold and hard. "I've seen Megatron's work before. We will find him."

The line cut out, leaving Mia alone with the Combaticons. She sat down in Onslaught's hand as he sat down at the console, his EM flickering with relief that washed over even Mia.

Mia relaxed in his hand, and from behind them Vortex laughed. "Primus that was tense!" he burst out laughing. "You think Prowl will make it to Screamer before Megatron catches up?"

Mia turned slowly to try to glower at him, but couldn't see passed Onslaught's bulky shoulder.

Vortex laughed again. "I sure do hope Prowl can get to Starscream before Megatron does." He mused and bounced Ace on his knee.

Mia sighed and worry filled her chest. "He is a brat, isn't he?"

Onslaught nodded and settled in to wait.

* * *

When the screen clicked off Prowl pushed away from the console and turned from the security room, Red Alert on his heels.

"Red Alert, get me every Autobot and N.E.S.T soldier not on mission and have them meet me at the main entrance in five minutes. The aerial bots, Ratchet, Blaster are all on base, get them now."

"Right away." Red Alert said quickly, already typing into his data pad to scramble their fighters.

"Then, contact everyone in training, break radio silence and send out an SOS. Get them to the location I will send to you once I know where Starscream is." Prowl's orders were clipped and clear.

"Yes sir."

"I will contact Prime. Tell him that we will need his assistance to collect Starscream. Chances are Megatron will be on route." Prowl ordered, opening a communication line to Starscream, hoping that it would connect. If he was now out of _Nemesis_ range, it should.

"Right away Prowl." Red Alert said again as alarms began to blare overhead and red lights flashed.

::Prowl?:: Came Starscream's slurred and exhausted words.

::How badly are you hurt?:: Prowl demanded as he stepped into the armory.

Bitter laughter reached his audios. ::Mia is safe?::

::Yes, how badly are you hurt?:: Prowl asked as he picked up a blaster and ensured it was charged.

::Onslaught is keeping her safe while you come get me?::

::Yes.:: Prowl said again as he began to load a second weapon into his subspace. ::Answer the question. How badly are you hurt?::

::Badly. Tank is cracked, my hands are mangled, lots of internal bleeding. Vents are wet. Vortex gave me a stimulant to not feel much anymore.:: Starscream muttered. ::We didn't stay to check, but I'm sure Megatron has figured out we're gone and is on his way.::

Prowl paused, and he was certain that Starscream was leaving things out but he didn't press. Instead he sent an information packet to Starscream. ::That is where Optimus is going. Can you make it?::

::I don't know.:: the voice sounded tired and weak. ::But we can get close.::

Prowl nodded and took a handful of grenades and tucked them into his subspace. ::Get close and send me your location when you land. We will get to you. Hunker down and stay safe.::

There was a pause and static, and for a moment Prowl's spark froze in fear that he had lost the connection or worse. ::Starscream?::

::I'm here. Don't shoot Acidstorm and Sunstorm. They need our help.:: there was another long pause and Prowl could practically sense the damage Starscream carried with him. ::Don't hurt the Combaticons.:: he wheezed. ::Send Thundercracker to take care of them when they land. He'll know what to do with them. How to handle them.::

::I will.:: Prowl promised softy over their line.

::Keep Mia safe.:: Starscream whispered, his voice starting to slur and it caused Prowl to hurry.

::We will.::

::Thank you.:: then the line went dead, and Prowl nearly stepped on Danny as she too was running to the armory.

"What are you doing?" he snapped at her. "I don't have the time today Danny."

Danny frowned up at him and jogged to keep up. She was wearing her combat uniform and had a rifle slung over her shoulder. "Uhhh Sir?" he was surprised that she went formal. "I think you need all the help you can get right now." She sounded nervous. "Let me help with whatever is going on."

Prowl gave her a withering look, but didn't slow down and Danny jogged to keep up. "You are still grounded."

"And you need steady hands for combat Prowl." She countered. "I may not have been in a war zone like you have been, but I've been in enough gun fights to know my way around. And! And I've been working with Epps and Lennox."

Prowl frowned at her and his wings lowered. Damn. She was right, they need every abled body to come with them.

"Alright." He said. "But we need to get you properly armed." He frowned down at her again. "You need to keep this a secret Danny."

Her eyes went large and she nodded. "Okay. I'm in."

Prowl nodded. "Follow me. Time to let you into the best kept secret in N.E.S.T."

Danny nodded and stayed tight to Prowl as he headed for the human's armory and he sent a comm. request to Optimus.

::Prowl?:: Optimus's words were slow and careful.

::Sir we have a situation. Mia has just reported in, she and Starscream were taken by Megatron. Starscream has been injured and I have him heading to your location. He will need extraction.:: he went directly with facts and what they needed, and Starscream needed them to move quickly.

Optimus paused. ::We have nearly reached the Wreckers. What is Starscream's ETA?::

::Thirty minutes.:: Prowl said as they came to the humans armory. ::That is if Starscream can make it to you. Currently two of the three rainmakers are escorting him to you and reported as friendly.::

::And Mia?:: there was a hint of fear in Optimus's voice.

::Onslaught and the Combaticon's assisted their escape. Onslaught has her in low orbit around the Earth and waiting for further directive. I do not suspect they will hurt her, they are looking for immunity.::

Optimus was surprised to hear those words. ::Understood Prowl. Break radio silence. Have every Autobot out on the training mission report to my location. I will prepare the Wreckers for battle and bring them up to speed.::

::Already done Sir.:: Prowl cut the line as Epps came out of the armory. "Sergeant." He nodded. "Arm Danny. Let her into our little…secret."

A smirk curled around Roberts's mouth, and beamed at Danny. "Was wondering when we could get the kids in on the secret. Come on Danny, let's find you something fun."

Danny gave Prowl an uncertain look before a smirk replaced her own worry. "Secret from who?" she asked as she followed him into armory and Prowl turned and headed for the command station.

"Mearing." He laughed. "Anyone not in with the team." He lifted a shoulder in a shrug and pushed aside what she thought was a wall and punched in a code.

"We don't want Cybertrionan weapons falling into the hands of people who would hurt them. It's powerful tech, and unless you're hunting Cybertrionians, like we are, they don't need it." Robert explained as he pulled a row of weapons out of the hidden wall.

Danny snorted. "I've seen what people will do to other people. They don't need weapons like they've got."

Robert nodded and carefully looked through the weaponry. "Exactly. We, on the other hand, spend a lot of time going toe to toe with some pretty nasty 'Cons. When nearly half our troops died in a fire fight with Megatron and his buddies, Optimus knew that we needed to be better armed. Sooooo, we got these." He said as he pulled out a rifle with an eerily green glow to it.

"Newbies don't get in on the secret until a little later on, but if Prowl thinks you're ready, then you're ready." He turned and handed the weapon to her. "You're one of Prowl's buddies, so he'll appreciate this. Acid shell rifle. No need to reload, bring it back to the armory to be recharged."

An eye brow rose as she carefully took the blaster from Epps. "Acid? As in, it will melt armor?"

"And skin. So be careful _who_ you shoot at."

Danny nodded and shouldered the weapon. "Alright. So. What's happening?"

Robert gave Danny a sympathetic look before clearing his throat. They both knew that Mia and Callie were out on a mission, and either one of them could be in trouble. "Come on, we need to meet Prowl, then we'll find out which one of our boys need saving."

Danny smirked and nodded, following Robert from the armory. "It'll be easy as cake."

Robert laughed. "I like your enthusiasm Danny. Let's get a move on."

Danny and Robert met with the rest of the humans on the mission, Babyface, Chapman, Nelson, Hooch and Stone, all being led by Lennox. Danny and Robert quickly joining the others, Liz running to catch up to the group, throwing a smile at her older sister's concerned one.

"What are you doing here?" Danny whispered to her younger sister, eyes glancing around the gathering team.

Mirage came in behind her, blue optics casting an annoyed look at the tiny human. Liz offered a small smile to Mirage and Danny, whispering back. "Mirage is watching over me so I can help keep communication operational."

Danny looked uncertain as Blaster, Hound, Trailbreaker, Ratchet, and Tracks gathered into the small area. The minibots, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper and Brawn were close behind them, Prowl bringing up the rear.

He took a position at the front of the group, back struts straight and tall, shoulders back and wings high. His face was cold and optics gave nothing away.

"We have just received radio contact from Mia and Starscream, both of whom are in danger. We will be engaging in combat with Optimus and the Wreckers shortly."

Danny's face fell and paled as Prowl went into more detail of who was hurt and what had happened. Her eyes hardened, she gripped her weapon tightly, and determination filled her.


End file.
